A New Dawn, a New Day
by Radioactive88
Summary: There's a lot we don't know about Jack Harkness: he's a man of many mysteries. But there are a couple secrets in his life even he doesn't know about yet: his daughters. Watch his gifted, teenage daughters join Torchwood, form bonds with the team, go on adventures they'll never forget, and do things that will bring about dire consequences. This is going to be a bumpy ride.
1. Chapter 1: The Artifact

**A/N: Hi there! Our (writing) nicknames are Goldie and Sharpie, and we're new to this site. So far, it seems like a pretty awesome site and we're loving it. This story can also be found on Wattpad, but we really wanted to post it on this site as well. Essentially, this story is about Captain Jack Harkness's daughters who are original characters and how they are moved into Torchwood. The first several chapters are more of a prologue structure as it's before any of the episodes take place, but we will get to the episodes as well. This story might diverge a bit from the original plot (there might be some characters that, erm,** ** _don't_** **die...) Also, our characters will also cross over in the Doctor Who universe, but that will be a separate story. Anywho, please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :)**

 **Disclaimer: We don't own Torchwood or BBC or anything like that and it's actually quite sad because we want our very own Captain Jack Harkness.**

 **The title is actually a reference to John Barrowman's cover of "Feeling Good," which is an _amazing_ cover, so check that out!**

 **P.S. Captain Jack Harkness is the epitome of everything beautiful. Just throwing that out there.**

 **Chapter 1: The Artifact**

 **Cam's Perspective**

"Lulu? Lulu!" I snapped my fingers obnoxiously in front of the younger girl's face. "Earth to Lulu."

"Sorry, what do you need?" Lulu asked tersely with barely concealed exasperation. "I'm just a _little_ bit busy right now." She then promptly returned to her eminent new project, typing away lightning-fast on her keyboard.

"I need the DNA results for the John Doe that came in yesterday. And I need those results, like, five minutes ago." I shot Lulu a pointed look and she scowled at the screen, not even bothering to look up.

"Those are still running in the database like I told you twenty freaking minutes ago and I can only work as fast as my machines, so . . . Patience is a virtue, you know. Anyway, now that that is covered, come check this out," Lulu said, now far more excited, guiding me over to her work table. She absentmindedly brushed her sideswept bangs out of her face and pulled on a pair of latex gloves as she proudly displayed the objects on the table to me. I was unimpressed.

"Yeah, they are the victim's personal effects, why so excited?" I asked dryly. Lulu was eager to please being new and all but it was beginning to be a tad bit excessive.

Lulu refused to be fazed by my cynical attitude. "Put on some gloves, I don't want you screwing up the fingerprints." I obediently took a pair of them and stuck my hands into them, raising my eyebrows expectantly.

"Look at this, my dear sister." Lulu gingerly handed me a bizarre artifact, nothing like I had ever seen before in my entire seventeen years. My indifferent persona melted away as I examined the object with intense curiosity.

"Where did you find this?" I murmured, looking it over carefully. It was some kind of strange technology- one of Lulu's specialities- but it was nothing recognizable. I had literally never seen anything like it.

Her bright, sky-blue eyes gleamed with a whole new enthusiasm as she began explaining to me, "It was on his person, stuffed away into his boot. Based on your autopsy reports, the killer burned his fingerprints off and beat his face to the point where we couldn't identify him, and his pockets were surprisingly empty- considering, by his clothes, he seemed to be a high-level business man. My theory is he had something important, very important, that the killer desperately wanted. The killer was thorough, but perhaps not thorough enough. Because," she took the object from me and toyed it between her fingers, "he left this behind."

I tried to fit that new fragment of information into the rest of the developing puzzle. Thoughtfully, I said, "I suppose that's a reasonable theory. From what I observed on the body, the killer isn't exactly what I'd call experienced. Perhaps if your theory is accurate, the killer is more of a thief than anything else. But why," I pointed at the object for emphasis, "would he leave that, if his sole point of murdering the man was to steal from him?"

Lulu set it down on the table and hauled herself up to sit down next to it, swinging her legs childishly as she replied, "Maybe that's not what he wanted to steal in the first place, so he didn't know about it. If the killer had wanted to steal something else, than it appears that he succeeded because the man's wallet and other articles besides his clothes are missing."

I faintly smiled; here we were, conversing like _we_ were the detectives on the case, not the forensic scientists- well, more of a pathologist on my part. "You know what, let's wait for the DNA results and then tell the detectives what we know and leave it to _them_."

Lulu poked out her bottom lip in a puppy-dog pout and I laughed out loud. She complained, "Right when it's getting good, we always have to pass it on over."

"It's how it is Lulu, if you want something to entertain yourself with, you can run the contents of his stomach I brought up last night." I laughed again at her dramatic sigh.

"I already ran that," she said, handing me the file. "Pretty much what I can tell he hadn't eaten much more than a burger and fries recently. Nothing conclusive to this case at all."

"Not bad, baby sis, not bad." Her face broke out in a huge smile at the praise and I continued, "I have other patients to see, but I want to know the _second_ the DNA results are in." With that, I twirled around with a flurry of my lab coat and prepared to take my leave.

"You realize your patients are dead, right?" Lulu called after me. "Good God, you spend more time around dead people than living ones."

I brushed off the insult; it was true, after all. It couldn't be denied. "Yeah, but they are better listeners than most and they don't complain when I examine them. And you can talk, you spend more time around computers and labs and chemicals and forensics than around anything else. Literally, you have no life outside of this!"

I had only meant it as a playful tease but as she turned away, I noticed her expression visibly darken as she stiffly cleaned up her work table. My comment had bothered her and I felt a twinge of guilt. My baby sister . . . the girl was only fourteen-years-old, and she had passed out of high school by nine, graduated from MIT at age twelve, and just gained her doctorate in forensic sciences. And she was just a child . . . a child living in an adult world.

Yes, I had followed a very similar extremely high-paced and high-stress lifestyle, and it was all I could remember. I had taken more of an interest into the art of pathology itself, and had landed my job at the FBI several years before, unlike my little sister who gravitated towards the forensic sciences and arts of the computer and technology. We worked uncannily well together, and we were essentially partners in crime.

"I'm sorry, Lulu," I said softly, moving forward to place a gentle hand on her shoulder. She jerked away and I lowered my hand.

"Don't you have some dead people to cut open, Cam?" she spat, and I knew that there would be no reasoning with her when she was like this. All previous traces of amicability had disappeared and she didn't look up as I walked away to leave once more.

I couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment but, "Keep examining that artifact."

She scoffed under her breath. "Duh."

I wanted to say something more but she still wasn't looking at me, so with a quiet sigh, I left her lab and shut the door behind me.


	2. Chapter 2: Taking Work Home

**A/N: Hi again! Here's our second chapter, but Torchwood's not in it yet. You might be thinking, "What the heck, I came here for Torchwood and I want me some Torchwood!" So, don't worry, they'll come in** ** _very_** **soon (about two chapters) and then you won't be able to get rid of them :). And, in this chapter, you'll get to see why one of Jack's daughters is so much like him in a certain way ;). You'll see what we're talking about. Anyway, please read, review, and enjoy! Thank you! :)**

 **Disclaimer: Torchwood and all of its amazing characters are not ours and we're still not over it :(.**

 **Chapter 2: Taking Work Home**

 **Lulu's Perspective**

I was quiet on the car ride home. Not because I was still angry, I had gotten over that hours ago, even though Cam probably assumed that was the reason for my lack of verbosity.

No, the reason I remained silent is because I had the artifact illegally stowed away in my pocket. I had examined it for hours upon end, and came to no logical conclusions. Its chemical compounds had never been seen before; I didn't recognize the type of metal, because it didn't match anything known. It was _amazing_! So . . . I stole it.

"Do you want to pick up dinner on the way home?" Cam's question startled me out of my racing thoughts and I jumped.

"Is Mom home?" I asked, reluctantly removing my hand from the artifact in my pocket. "We could get the three of us something."

We were both geniuses and excelled in science and math, but cooking? We couldn't cook to save our lives so we relied heavily on pickup. If it didn't exist, we probably would have been dead by now.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but I think she is working the late shift again." Cam smiled at me for a second but it didn't do much. Since Cam and I worked so long and hard, our schedules clashed with my Mom's a lot. I didn't like it at all, but there was no way out of it.

"Well, would you want to go to McDonald's?" I suggested. One thing we both loved was fastfood and that was good considering we ate it a lot. Our busy lives didn't leave much room for sit down meals so most of the time we would sit in our labs and eat together before going back to work. It was a miracle that we remained so slim.

"I can always do McDonald's," Cam laughed, making a U-turn to go to the nearest McDonald's.

We pulled into the parking lot and headed in, greeted with familiar faces. This place was closest to our work and home so we tended to eat here alot.

"Hey Cameron, Laurel, will you be having the usual today?" the cashier Doug asked. They all memorized our orders. It was a little pathetic, actually- on our parts. We didn't talk much but they were still very nice and made an effort. Well strike that, Doug was very good-looking so whenever Cam saw him she got into one of her flirty moods.

"So, Doug, what are you doing after work?" She grinned at him and propped up her elbows onto the counter so her chest was at a desirable angle- for him, _I_ on the other hand, didn't appreciate being flashed.

"I'm still here," I reminded her, annoyed. She kicked me in the ankle and I rolled my eyes, finding us a table while the pair had blatant eye-sex. If Tim the cashier were here, they probably would have been in the back making out already. Now if _Caleb_ was here . . . Well let's just say my sister would be halfway naked by now.

"I'm off in five minutes," he said as seductively as he could probably muster up. Her smile only grew broader.

A couple minutes later, I was alone at the table munching on some chicken nuggets and imaging all the different scenarios where the artifact could be from when my sister emerged from the bathroom, looking far more disheveled than before. "Oh dear God," I said derisively to her as she sat down across from me.

She raked her fingers through her now messy shoulder-length ebony hair and hastily applied some more lipstick on. I stared at her like she had two heads. "Really, a bathroom in McDonald's? Really?"

She sucked in a breath, indignant, and popped a few fries in her mouth. "Hey, it's been a stressful day! And you're right, I don't see many living people." She smiled at her joke and leaned back in her seat, fully relaxed.

I smirked and sunk my teeth into another chicken nugget. Casually, I added, "You don't want to lead him on."

With a mouthful of whopper, she protested, "For God's sake, I'm not. He knows how it is, plus, he's a guy! They live for the "This doesn't have to mean anything." Is it so bad that I need to relax sometimes?

I smiled as she grew more and more flustered, driving in my point harder as I innocently pointed out, "Most people relax at the end of the day by reading a book or taking a bath or watching a show. Not having sexual intercourse in a McDonald's bathroom. . . ."

She angrily shushed me and hissed, "Talk louder, I don't think that guy in the parking lot heard you."

"I'm sure he did if he happened to be in that _bathroom_."

"Oh, leave me alone, Laurel." She used my full name whenever she was irritated with me. "You do computers to take a load off, I do boys, we all have hobbies," she countered. I snickered under my breath. Okay, so I was being a tad bit hypocritical because I was in fact a perpetual flirt, but she was right about the computer thing.

"Whatever, are you ready to go?" I laughed, collecting my trash.

"I haven't eaten much, and truly you should eat after such an intense workout, little one," Cam taunted, taking another huge bite out of her hamburger. She was having fun with me like she always did. However awkward it was talking about the stuff it was nice to see her relaxed in public. Usually she just was quiet and awkward and didn't talk to anyone but me. I was often the same exact way.

I smacked her on the back of her head and dodged a half-hearted punch. "Way more than I need to know, but thank you for that little insight. Grab your food to go, I'm tired." Without waiting for an answer, I snatched the burger right out of her hands and stuffed it into the bag, then proceeded to leave with it.

"You do NOT steal someone's whopper!" she yelled after me and I, giggling, hurried to the car.

The ride home was full of our typical witty, non-stop banter and we jammed out to a band we both liked- which was rare, because we had rather different music tastes. I felt so calm and peaceful that the strange artifact residing in my jacket pocket was completely driven from my thoughts.

So, when we were inside our quite large yet comfortably so loft and she dropped her keys, I dove forward on a reflex and . . . the artifact came spiraling right out of my pocket. It collided with the hardwood floor with an echoing _bang_ and my throat went suddenly dry. Fearfully, I managed to tear my eyes away from it and to my sister, who looked positively incensed. _Oh, lovely,_ I thought.

"Hey, how'd that get here?" I tried feebly, scooting away from it like it was ablaze. "That's highly coincidental, and nothing I could have possibly in anyway expected! It's such . . . situational irony. . . ."

She didn't believe me for a single microsecond, and I didn't blame her in the slightest- _worst cover up EVER._ "When you lie, you can't shut up," she ground out through clenched teeth, tossing her McDonald's bag delicately onto the table.

"I can never shut up," I said helpfully and she glowered at me, so this time, I wisely _did_ choose to keep quiet. Shakily, I got to my feet and met her gaze of daggers.

She went straight down to business. "You _stole_ this from the lab! Do you how illegal that is, how many rules are being broken, how many violations-"

I tended to use humor as a defense mechanism, so I foolishly decided to do that here. Very, very foolishly. "Well, if I didn't before then I most certainly do now!" The smile fell off my face like melting ice at her expression. If looks could kill, I would be six feet under.

"I cannot believe you."

"I can't believe me either."

She threw up her hands and cried out in frustration, and I flinched. "Laurel Kristy Bennett, do you think this is a joke?"

I was already digging my own grave, so I figured, why not make it a little worse? I playfully corrected, " _Doctor_ Laurel Kristy Bennett."

Her countenance was stonier than I had ever seen it and she said coldly, "Not for much longer, if they find out you stole that."

Oh crappola. I fiddled with the hem of my shirt and rocked back onto my heels, sheepishly replying, "They don't _have_ to know."

She was still furious but I knew she would never tattle on me. She would never stoop to that, even if I had murdered someone. My sister was the kind of person who would help me hide the body. "Laurel, do you even understand what you've _done_?"

"I'm fourteen, have an IQ of 180, and have a doctorate in forensic sciences. I tend to understand concepts," I said icily. Cam didn't even bother to ask _why_ I would take it. She refused to put herself in my shoes- or _anybody's_. So close-minded.

Her eyes were a blazing blue fire and she spat, "Okay, Laurel, if you want to play it like that then I'll spell it out for you. THIS. IS. A. FEDERAL. CRIME!" I cringed away as the volume of her tone skyrocketed. "And _guess what_?! We work for the FBI! If they find out, do you know how royally fucked you would be? You and me _both_ ; I recommended you for the job!"

The guilt that had been eating away at me all evening began to overwhelm me. I managed to stammer out, "I-I never thought about it like that."

Now, normally, she would've softened up and calmed down, but she was still as riled up as before. "No, you didn't. This job is my life, and I _know_ how much yours means to you! And not only would this cost us our jobs, but you'd be in a shit ton of legal trouble because you're covering up evidence that could help solve the John Doe's murder!"

It was dawning on me how impulsively I had acted. Sure, I was considered a genius but it was a painfully bad habit of mine to act without thinking. Still, while I hadn't thought out the ramifications of my crime, a large part of me didn't regret this because I was still so very curious about the artifact. . . .

"I understand all of that," I said, struggling to remain impassive. If she knew what I was thinking, that I would do it over again . . . well, she'd probably beat my ass. And that just wouldn't be pretty.

"Oh _do_ you?" she asked viciously. "Then why, pray tell, did you steal it in the _first place_?"

I just couldn't help myself; I smiled. And by smiled, I mean beamed like an absolute maniac. As she stared at me like I was sprouting an extra limb, I reached down to pick up the artifact and exclaimed, "I took it because . . . well, I think it's an alien artifact."

 **Dun dun dun... Thanks so much for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3: Night of the Storm

**A/N: We know what you're thinking, "Still no Torchwood?! What is wrong with these people?" Don't worry, next chapter they'll come in and then they'll be in** ** _permanently_** **. So, until then, please read, review, and enjoy! Thank you! :)**

 **Disclaimer: Torchwood and BBC=not ours. Sob.**

 **Chapter 3: Night of the Storm**

 **Cam's Perspective**

"I took it because . . . well, I think it's an alien artifact." The enthusiasm in her tone was almost palpable and her eyes shone bright. If this was a ruse to get out of trouble, then I'd kick her ass so far she could meet one of those aliens and give the artifact back.

"Say what?" My voice was carefully monotone, in a way I had trained myself to do. As a medical examiner, it's best not to let too much emotion show in your explanations.

She impatiently huffed and repeated, "I ran many, many tests on it and the artifact is virtually unrecognizable! I have no idea what it does, other than it appears to be some kind of technology, but the metal didn't match with any of the known elements on the Periodic Table and the chemical structure was far different than anything I've ever _seen_!" By the end of her tirade, her voice was raised about two octaves higher in her furor.

Now, I could have humored her but I was still very angry with her, so decided to take the jaded and skeptical route. "Perhaps you just didn't run the tests correctly."

Instead of her developing a crestfallen expression as I predicted, she merely brushed off my suspicions and disagreed, "I thought so, too, at first. But I ran them repeatedly and received the same results, so I've come to believe that this artifact," she waved it around frantically for effect, "is not from Earth."

"So you took it," I finished dryly.

"Wouldn't you?" she challenged. Well, she got me there. "I know you. You're just as curious as I am. I saw your face when you were examining it back in the lab. You want to know where this is from exactly as I do?"

I hesitated, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of agreeing, before saying, "I suppose but it's still part of a murder investigation."

"I'll give it back," she said with a flippant shrug of her shoulders. "And it's like he was murdered _for_ that, because the killer didn't take it." Lulu smiled smugly at her logic.

"I guess so, but that's not for us to decide." Before I could continue on that thought, the front door opened up and Lulu hastily hid the artifact in her jacket.

"Mom, you're home," she greeted warmly. Mom looked positively exhausted; she must have had a hard day. She wasn't a scientist like we were, she was an exotic dancer, to put it politely. Mom was a beautiful woman, with her blonde hair framing her face delicately and her body with curves in all the right places. We had inherited her slim body, but we really didn't share many other physical features with her.

Mom dropped her purse on the coffee table and stepped forward to Lulu, opening up her arms. "Momma needs a hug." Lulu tightly embraced her, leaning her head on her shoulder.

"So, I don't get any love?" I teased her, and Mom broke out of that hug to give me one as well. I breathed in her pleasant, flowery perfume. "Hard day, Mom?" I asked as I pulled away.

"Ugh, yes," she groaned, practically ripping the stilettos off her feet. It boggled my mind how she could walk in those death traps. "But I don't want to talk about it. How was your girls' day?"

Lulu glanced over to me, evidently wondering how much I would divulge about today's events. But I just plastered on a smile and said cheerily, "It was a pretty good day. Nothing interesting."

Lulu's sigh of relief was audible and I smirked. Mom said tiredly, "I think I'm going to brew a pot of tea to wind down."

Lulu, eager to help, cried, "I can do it, Mom!" Mom and I shared a highly amused look until we both burst out laughing. "What?" Lulu demanded ruefully.

"You're the chemist of the family," Mom choked out through her giggles. "I'm afraid you'll blow something up. It wouldn't be the first time."

Lulu pouted dramatically then tried to defend herself, "Okay, so maybe I ruin things when I try to cook, but when I blow things up, it's always on purpose!"

"Good to know," Mom teased, ruffling up Lulu's hair. Lulu grumbled something under her breath and carefully put the strands of jet-black hair back into place. I grinned and messed it back up again.

We walked into the kitchen and I went directly to the fridge and picked out two Mountain Dews, chugging one down in ten seconds flat.

"Cameron, those really aren't good for you. You need to cut back," Mom scolded mildly, placing the kettle on the stove.

"I have cut back, Mom, I only drink five a day, it used to be six." I really shouldn't drink that many and I knew it, it was like my drug, though, and truly I knew I was killing myself slowly but I didn't care; they were really good.

"Whatever, you will stop one day." Lies. "Anyway, tell me some science things I don't understand."

We all stood in our typically untouched kitchen and chit-chatted about nothing in particular, but it was nice. It allowed me to think about something else than Lulu's theft and the mysterious artifact.

Finally, once my mom's tea had been long since drunk, she couldn't stifle her yawns any longer and told us apologetically, "I think I'm going to get some sleep now. G'night, and I love you both."

"Love you, Mom," Lulu chirped as I said the same. Mom gave us one last smile before retiring to her bedroom.

Once she was out of earshot, I mentioned to Lulu something that had been itching at the back of my mind for a while now, "I don't know if it's safe for you to have that artifact in your possession. Its previous owner was brutally murdered."

Bull-headed as always, she argued, "He wasn't murdered _for_ this. It'll be fine, Cam. Don't worry your pretty little head." She had this knack for subtly manipulating people without them quite knowing it, and getting her way. I, on the other hand, was fully aware of this tactic but I let it go this time because my mind was swirling with drowsiness.

"Plus," she continued as we walked to our rooms together. "Whenever you question my safety, that's when something goes wrong."

"I'm not following."

She shrugged, remarkably blithe for what she was talking about. "In horror movies, whenever that one character starts to notice something's amiss, they're always the first to die. So, please don't make us be that character." I rolled my eyes at her as I stood in the doorway of my bedroom.

"Don't screw around with that artifact too much," I warned her firmly.

"Yeah, yeah," was her airy response as she disappeared into her room and I knew then that she would completely disobey my order. Like always.


	4. Chapter 4: Journey to America

**A/N: Torchwood's finally here! And now they'll permanently be in the story :). Please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :)**

 **Chapter 4: Journey to America**

 **Jack's Perspective**

"In conclusion of our tour, stay away from my shit," Owen growled playfully as he pulled on his lab coat. Jack sent him a look but Owen was unabashed as always.

"Kind of you to tell," Gwen laughed, following me up to the main center to meet up with Tosh. A broad smile lit up her face, revealing her attractive teeth gap, and her green eyes gleamed with excitement. She looked gorgeous at the moment and Owen and Jack were having trouble keeping their eyes off.

"Guys, come up here, I got something you need to see," Tosh called over from her computer. She had been furiously typing away for a half hour now.

"What is it, Tosh?" Jack asked, walking over to look at the screen over her shoulder.

"So you know that alien artifact dealer we have been tracking, Gregory Munch? Well, he's been murdered."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "When?"

"His body was located yesterday? They don't know who killed him yet. In fact, I don't even think they know who he is yet. The FBI, I mean. The FBI picked up the case, and according to the reports it appears to be a suspected theft gone wrong," Tosh reported, bringing up the file on her computer for everyone to see.

"Where was he killed?" Gwen and Owen surrounded the screen on each side of Jack and Ianto even tentatively took a look at it.

"In Washington D.C. He was killed in America," Tosh said thoughtfully, bringing up the map.

"Do we know what was stolen?" Jack was in interrogation mode.

"His hotel room was ransacked, yet none of his possessions including the unregistered artifacts appear to be missing. According to this, his pockets were empty so anything the killer wanted was most likely with him on his person." Tosh pulled up photos of his room and the many artifacts he had, some of which Torchwood had been tracking for a while now.

"If they searched his room and took nothing of value they were likely looking for something very, very specific," Gwen deduced. Her cop nature was resurfacing; Jack knew she would make a good addition to the team.

"He got greedy," Jack commented. "He was selling them too quickly and he got sloppy. He was drawing attention to himself." This man had been known to have high-level technology, even weapons and in government hands that could only lead to something bad. That was why Torchwood had been tracking him down.

"What does this mean, Jack?" Gwen questioned, staring bewilderedly at the items in the pictures.

"This means we are are going to America," Jack announced, clapping his hands together sharply. If someone had murdered him for an alien artifact and successfully stole it, it likely wasn't going to be used for good and Torchwood needed to capture it. As well as his other artifacts. "Tosh, get us a jet and have it be ready to leave in an hour. Gwen, Owen, pack a bag and meet me at the air strip in thirty minutes. Ianto, you and Tosh stay here and manage the fort. Got it?" Jack didn't even bother to let anyone reply. "Good."

 **Several hours later...**

"I can't believe we have to go a different fucking country for this bloke," Owen complained for the thousandth time. Jack had long since stopped attempted to justify the choice of action, instead focusing all of his energy on warding off a building headache. If Owen griped one more time, he would gladly toss him off the plane.

Several minutes later, they landed in a private airfield and were loaded up a rental car to head to the FBI headquarters in D.C. Jack went to get in the driver's seat on the right side but much to his displeasure, Jack had forgotten how America works.

Owen sneered while climbing into the passenger seat, "Smooth, Jack, smooth." Gwen and Owen shared a laugh as Jack moved to the other side of the car. They were getting along well which was good considering Owen tended to have a hostile attitude.

"Shut up, you two," Jack groaned, putting the car into drive. It was so unusual to drive on the other side of the road, but Jack managed.

They drove for a few miles and Jack wouldn't lie, there were a few times he started serving over to the wrong side of the road, but no one died so he didn't really care.

"My goodness, Jack, drive straight, will you?" Gwen teased from the back. Jack gave her a quick yet effective glare through the mirror and she fell silent.

A slight crackling noise sounded as the earpieces revealed Tosh's voice. "Guys, I have something," Tosh said and Jack adjusted the volume on the earpiece to hear her more clearly.

"Shoot, Tosh." Jack knew by her tone it couldn't have been good.

"About ten miles north of your location there is a high alien frequency coming from some sort of alien artifact. Its origin is unknown, and I don't recognize the device but I would recommend you guys head down there."

"See, we aren't in America for thirty minutes and shit's already going down," Owen nagged, pulling out his locator to direct Jack.

"Jack, do you have any idea what we are going into?" Gwen asked, a small amount of fear glimmering in her eyes. Jack felt bad for throwing her into the thick of this work so fast but she was going to have to learn fast if she was going to work with them.

"I don't really know, this guy has been known to sell things I don't even have much knowledge on, so truthfully it could be anything." Jack reached behind him and gave her hand an encouraging squeeze, which in turned earned him a bright, toothy smile.

"Tosh, can you tell me what am I walking into?" Jack needed to know if any civilians may be in the line of fire if we were dealing with something particularly dangerous.

"Sure, so the house is owned by a Jasmine Bennett," Tosh said, and Jack froze. Jasmine Bennett? _Oh no, no, no_ , Jack thought worriedly. It had to be a different one, it just had to be. But knowing his luck . . . it was her.

"Say that again," Jack ordered with a faint sense of hope he heard her wrong.

"Jasmine Bennett, age thirty-seven." Jasmine would be about thirty-seven by now probably. Jack had slept with her twice, once when she was nineteen or twenty and once when she was twenty-three or so. The first time they had met in a bar, the second time was also purely coincidental and involved alcohol. She was one beautiful woman.

"Everything alright, Jack?" Gwen questioned, looking concerned. Jack decided against telling the truth- it would be too troublesome to explain.

"Yeah, fine," he said tersely, beads of sweat forming on my forehead. "Sorry, any other family?"

"According to her file she has two daughters. Cameron, age seventeen, and Laurel, age fourteen." _No, no, no, no, no_! _Not possible, nope._

In shock, Jack slammed his foot down onto the breaks, prompting Gwen to let out a startled shriek and Owen to yank the wheel to keep them from spiraling into a tree.

"Bloody hell, Jack, you could have killed us! What the hell is going on?" Owen yelled, sweat pouring down his face. His dark brown eyes were ablaze with anger.

Ignoring him, Jack continued, "Toshiko, when were the two girls born?"

"Jack, what is going on?" Gwen now demanded.

Before responding, he pressed on the gas which jerked the car forward and sped towards the house. He was determined to get there as quickly as possible. The team just stared at him with utter confusion, but didn't say anything else.

"Jack, I have something you maybe interested in," Toshiko said hesitantly over the coms.

"Speak." Jack was in no mood to be friendly at this point.

"The woman's daughters work for the FBI. The older one is a pathologist and the younger one is a forensic scientist."

"What kind of game are you playing, Tosh? You just said they were kids," Owen interjected, exasperated. Jack waited impatiently for Tosh to explain herself.

"They are geniuses, _Owen_ ," she said snippily. "They both graduated MIT at twelve years old and got their doctorates by fourteen. The younger one just got hers and only recently got her job in the FBI. They have basically followed the same paths except the older one drifted into the medical world of pathology and autopsies and the younger one veered into forensics and technology and chemistry." Jack's eyebrows skyrocketed to his hairline; he was highly impressed.

"Well, that may explain why they have the artifact. Tosh, can you see if they are on the Gregory case?" Gwen asked. He smiled to myself for a brief second. Hiring her was one decision he wasn't regretting currently.

"You're right, Gwen, they both are on the case. The younger one most likely had access to the artifact, considering she deals with the forensics of it all."

"Jack, take the next right and we are there," Owen updated, clicking on his pad. As they turned a high pitch squeal of tire tracks and a scream rang out through the air.


	5. Chapter 5: Lurking Shadows

**A/N: Whazzup? This chapter is where everything, to put it bluntly, goes to crap. How are the characters going to recover from this? Please read, enjoy, and review! Thanks so much! :)**

 **Warning: Some violence and swearing in this chapter, but it isn't too graphic.**

 **Chapter 5: Lurking Shadows**

I completely and utterly ignored my older sister's instructions and messed around with the artifact. It was in the shape of a three-dimensional oval with a line running through the middle and I was determined to open it.

About two hours later in the basement/lab, I had a zero percent success rate. I tried everything I could think of. I first tried to pry it open with my bare hands, then used a screwdriver, then a hammer, then a knife, then a crowbar. . . . My patience was slipping away by that point and I poured some highly toxic chemicals all over it, but nothing happened. Finally, I grabbed my blowtorch- yes, I have one of those-and attempted to melt it, but no luck.

Angrily, I threw it against the wall and hoped for it to shatter open, but it was perfectly intact. "Really?" I cried out in frustration. "Open, dammit!"

I stomped over to the blasted thing and cradled it firmly beneath both hands and decided to yell at it some more. "I, Doctor Laurel Kristy Bennett, command you to OPEN!"

And, like a miracle in disguise, it popped right open. "Seriously?" I asked in total disbelief. "I used a blowtorch on you and all I had to do was tell you to open? There's two hours of my life I'll never get back."

It twisted around in my hands uncontrollably and I almost felt a little afraid. What was I getting myself into? It suddenly lurched out and attached itself to my wrist before stilling. "Oh jeez."

And then something even _weirder_ happened. I had accidentally sliced open the palm of my hand earlier with the knife, and as I looked at it now, the cut closed and healed up right before my eyes. The stain of blood was still present but the injury was completely _gone_!

"Jesus Christ!" I exclaimed, absolutely stunned. Now, I attempted to rip off the alien artifact and . . . it wouldn't come off. _It wouldn't come off_! "I am so boned," I muttered miserably under my breath. The artifact was bleeping out of control and I hissed at it to shut it, to no avail.

Heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs into the basement. _Donkey shit_ , she thought in a panic. she hid her wrist behind her back as Cam came into view.

"Lulu, sweetheart, it's time to go to bed," Cam said groggily. Opening her eyes a bit more, she noticed the arm I blatantly tried to hide. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing, I will be up in a sec." I was trying to divert the attention but I knew I was screwed. So very screwed.

In two long strides, Cameron walked over to me and yanked my wrist out from behind my back. "What the hell, Laurel? I told you to not touch it!"

"Since when do I listen to you?" I retorted. _Dammit_ , I thought. Whenever I was in trouble, I just had to sass my way into even deeper trouble.

Only answering with a glare, Cameron grabbed the device locked on my wrist and attempted to pull it off but before even a slight pressure was added Cameron was violently thrown back into the wall and slumped to the ground. The device began to beep even louder and vibrate wildly and it refused to stop.

"CAM!" I screamed, running to her. Though I was tempted to slip into my building hysteria, I kept my cool (now in science mode) and followed the proper steps. I felt for a pulse on her wrist then neck, and it was strong in both areas so she wasn't hurt badly but she was definitely unconscious.

Tears ran down my face as I caressed her cheek with my thumb. I didn't want to move her in the case that she had a concussion or had hurt her back or neck so I just had to sit and stare at her slouched body.

"Mom!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, hoping she would hear it. I looked to my wrist and attempted to pull off the device but all it did was hurt. "Dammit!" I shouted, slamming my wrist into a nearby wall. It still didn't come off.

Between the beeps I heard quiet footsteps making their way toward me and before I could turn around a large, calloused hand covered my mouth. I screamed into the hand, but it was muffled, and tried to struggle out of the person's hold but the person who held me was strong and burly and had secured my arms.

Between my flailing about, I saw Cam's eyes flutter open and take on a terrified look. She jumped to her feet before the man could notice and hit him hard on the ear with a powerful right hook. The man winced but made no moves to free me, instead he recovered and threw her back against the wall. My sister really had no chance against this guy. She was small and had no training but I knew she was fighting for me.

Before Cam could move the man reached out a pulled a sleek black object and before I could make out what it was, a loud _bang_ rang through the room and Cam collapsed to the floor in a puddle of blood.

My limbs stiffened with shock and I was frozen with terror. "Cam?" I choked out, the man's hand finally away from my mouth. Cam didn't even stir and the crimson liquid kept oozing out of her side and my mind finally registered what had just occurred. I screamed out, "CAM, NO!" The man began to haul me away and I fought against him with all my might like a rabid animal, shouting hysterically, "CAMERON! NO, TAKE ME BACK TO HER, YOU ASSHOLE! _CAM_!"

"Shut up you, little shit!" he yelled into my ear. His voice was like ice on my skin. He pulled me up the stairs and upon reaching the top my mother's eyes horrified gaze met my attacker's.

"Lulu!" She moved forward to grab me but the cold head of the gun met my temple and she froze in her steps.

I ignored the fact that my life was hanging on the balance and focused solely on Cam. "Mommy, he shot Cam! Please help her, Mommy, _help her_!" I begged through my sobs, still struggling fruitlessly against his hold. In my state of terror, I had reverted to my childhood name for her.

"Let my daughter go," my mom challenged, trying to keep her voice steady. When he didn't listen, she looked directly into my eyes and soothed, "Everything will be okay, baby, trust me. I love you so much!"

"I love you, too," I cried, my voice sounding so much smaller than before.

"I recommend you go into that basement and close the door behind you. If you don't, I will shoot her," the attacker threatened.

My mom reluctantly walked down the stairs but paused before shutting the door. "Baby, Mommy loves you and I _will_ get you back." Looking up at the man she said with as much hate as she could muster, "And I _will_ kill you," before shutting the door.

I held on to those words as the man locked the door behind my mom and carried me out into the cold, chilly night to his car and threw me unceremoniously in the back. I tried to scramble out but he aimed the gun at me and I cowered away.

He tossed me some handcuffs and told me, "Handcuff one hand to you and one to the seat." I, trembling, followed suit and before I could say anything he slammed the door shut, got in the front seat and revved up the car. All I could do was watch my home fade off into the distance and cling onto the hope that everything would be okay.


	6. Chapter 6: The Unveiling of the Secrets

**A/N: S'up, peeps of the world! We've decided to update this story every Friday, and we will try our hardest to stick to that, but we're both freshmen in high school and the work load can vary. But we will try! Anyway, please read, enjoy, and review! Thanks! :D**

 **P.S. Thanks so much to our followers and for the alerts and favorites, and a special thanks to RosetheOwl for being our very first reviewer! We really appreciate all of you! :)**

 **Update: Upon re-watching the Doctor Who episodes of "Utopia" and "Sound of Drums", we were reminded that it was the Tenth Doctor who told Jack why he couldn't die, and so, due to that continuity error, we altered that. Sorry for the inconvenience!**

 **Chapter 6: The Unveiling of the Secrets**

 **Jack's Perspective**

"Move, _move_!" Jack yelled and everyone raced to get out of the car, guns drawn, and moved to the opened door.

"Tosh, I need you to track and see if there are any outgoing calls in the area. We lost the vehicle and I couldn't get a license plate."

"Doing that now," Tosh answered almost robotically.

"Owen, take the top floor, Gwen this floor, I'm going to the base-" Jack was cut off by a scream from the back. Taking off at a run with his coworkers hot on his tail, he hurried down into the basement and threw open the door to reveal Jasmine, his fling from long ago, kneeling over a deathly pale girl who was presumably her daughter. The girl was bleeding out onto the floor.

Jasmine flipped around and stood in front of the dying girl. She was crying uncontrollably but she tensed when she saw him. "Jack?"

Owen and Gwen raced over to the girl but Jasmine had blocked them from getting near the poor teen.

"Jasmine, it's okay, we are here to help. Let Owen help her, he is a doctor," Jack said calmly and assuringly. She wouldn't budge.

"Stay away from her!" she yelled, pushing Owen away.

Knowing the girl needed as much help as she could get, Jack ran and grabbed Jasmine into a strong, unbreakable bear hug. She viciously punched and kicked him to try to get away but after she realized it was getting her nowhere she just broke down and began to cry, "My baby! He hurt my babies. He-he-he kidnapped my little one. Oh Jack, you have to help my baby girls!"

Jack's heart twisted in sympathy but he said as evenly as possible, "Everything's gonna be okay, just breathe. I need you to tell me what happened, Jasmine."

Over her shoulder, Jack could see Owen working quickly to try to stop the bleeding. She was alive but barely. Gwen was gone, likely getting Owen's medical kit, and Owen was keeping pressure on the wound.

Gwen soon came running in the door again with Owen's medical kit in hand. They threw it open and Owen began to inject different painkillers into the girl. It had been only a short, tense minute when . . . the rise and fall of her chest ceased.

"Owen. . . ," Gwen murmured, her hands moving to cover her mouth in dismay. Gwen moved to check her pulse, and a single tear fell from her eye as she shook her head no.

Owen with gentle hands closed the child's eyes, and in an abnormal show of kindness and consideration, covered her bleeding torso with his jacket so the mother wouldn't have to see the blood stains.

Still holding Jasmine, Jack spoke softly, "Go upstairs and see if Tosh located anything on the missing girl."

Owen grabbed Gwen's hand and took her upstairs, leaving me with Jasmine. Jack pulled away and put his hands on her face. Her eyes were wide with shock and he whispered, "I'm sorry."

She shoved him away from her and slapped him across the face, shouting, "No, _no_ , NO! You're lying. You're a lying bastard!" Turning away from him, she fell to her knees next to the deceased teenage girl.

Jack rubbed his stinging face as he looked on somberly. "Cam, wake up for me, sweetie. Come on, baby girl. We gotta go get your sister. I need you, baby, I need you. Oh God, Cam, please wake up. Wake up for Mommy. Oh God, _Cam_!" She picked up her hand and held it to her own cheek, pressing her lips against it lovingly. "My baby. . . ."

He painfully watched the scene unfold before him. Now having the time, Jack began to make out the features of the young lady, well, Cam. Cam had a slim yet curvy body like her mother, but her hair was a shocking midnight black against her pale skin compared to her mom's light blonde. Her silky straight hair was about mid-neck length and framed her face nicely. She was a very pretty young lady.

"She has your eyes, Jack." He was startled out of his thoughts and looked at her in surprise. What was she talking about? Could she mean . . . ? No, _no_.

"They're yours, Jack. They're yours." Her voice was monotone, like the importance of what she was saying didn't occur to her, and her eyes looked as dead as the girl's had. It was like all the light left the orbs, leaving nothing but emptiness.

"I'm sorry I never told you. You just never stayed long enough to know." There was an apologetic note in there, but she sounded like a robot almost.

Jack couldn't bring himself to respond and she continued, almost in a daze, "They both are a lot like you. Cam has . . . _h-had_ your same strength, resilience, and that take charge attitude you have always had." Her mouth lifted up into the ghost of a smile. "Lulu has your charisma, humor, and bravery."

To say Jack was completely floored would be the understatement of the year. My legs wobbled beneath him but he stood tall, not letting his weakness show, looking at the teenage girl in a whole new light. Yes, the thought had been gnawing at him ever since Tosh mentioned Jasmine had children and because of that it was almost expected, but he was still absolutely stunned. She wasn't just an old friend's dead daughter anymore, no . . . she was _his_ daughter. His deceased daughter.

Jack moved to pick her up and hold her in his arms. She was so cold and he had lost her before he ever even had her. He lay a single kiss on her forehead, gently stroking the ebony hair out of her face. Then he lay her down, squeezing her hand, and stood.

"I know you are grieving but in order to find your . . . our other daughter we need to go talk to my team." Jack's voice was soft. He wanted to be angry, so angry that she had taken away time with his daughter- daughters- he could never get back, and he honestly was, but truly she was right. Jack would have never stayed and been the father they needed.

Saying no more, Jasmine kissed her daughter on the forehead like only a mother could and stood to walk out. Jack put an arm around her as she swayed in her grief and they both took one long look at her before turning around to go upstairs. He allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder as she trembled with sobs. She was in shock. Jack knew once it had fully set in, she would be besides herself with grief.

"I have one more thing to do down here, you go up and talk to Gwen, okay?" Jack told her. He needed to look around for clues but he didn't want her to think her daughter was no more than evidence.

With a quiet sniffle, she nodded her head and walked mournfully upstairs. The two times he had seen her before, there was such light and passion and happiness in her bright green eyes, but now . . . ? Now it was like she died right along with her daughter. She probably had, in a way.

Jack hurried back into the basement and within a second of the closing of the door a large gasp could be heard behind him. He turned to meet the icy blue eyes he knew all too well.

 **Cameron's Perspective**

 _Bang_! Pain ripped through my side like a wildfire and the last thing I could fully hear were my sister's panicked screams and the man's heavy steps taking her away.

The pain was so overwhelming that I couldn't focus. Every sound melded together into one, every movement made the pain start all over again. I knew I was going to die, I don't know how I did, but I just knew. I felt myself becoming more and more tired by the second, my body was giving up on me, it was becoming cold and useless.

Part of me wanted to give in to death, let the pain ebb away as I floated from my body. I coveted peace, and for once in my life, perhaps I had to just give up the fight.

I could sense movement for a while. I knew my mother was there in the room with me but she wasn't the one attempting to help me. The hands were foreign, his voice was nothing to me.

There was another male voice though. It brought me back to my childhood. It was soothing, soft, sweet . . . it was almost like I should have heard it but I never did.

I think I was hallucinating at one point, though I wished desperately it was real. I was lying on the ground, no, hovering and relaxed, so, so relaxed. . . . A blurry figure I couldn't recognize glided toward me, and it grasped my hand between both of . . . hers, it was a her. It was Lulu.

She looked different than she had the last time I had seen her, only several minutes ago. Then, she was frazzled and terrified but here, she was nothing but smiles and peace. Her long, jet-black hair wafted behind her like in a gust of wind, and her eyes were dancing with their typical mischief.

"Just let go," she told me, her voice lilting into the imaginary breeze. She played with the fingers on my hand like she often did when she was in a thoughtful mood. I didn't realize how much I would miss that until now. . . . She crooned, "It's okay, Cam. You can do it. Just let go."

Something about her voice intertwining with the foreign male's voice that kept piercing my consciousness . . . the sweet melody of sounds let me drift into a peaceful darkness that welcomed me with open arms.

For a few minutes, or hours, or even days, (I no longer had any concept of time) I felt nothing. I knew this was death but it wasn't death you dream of. There was just darkness, nothing more, nothing less. Just darkness.

All of a sudden, the overwhelming blackness grew lighter. I wasn't dead, but I wasn't quite sure I was alive. My brain was aware, but my body was not. Sounds began to invade my ears. It was so faint, so distant, but enough to understand.

It was my mother's voice, full of grief, full of sadness, full of heartbreak. My heart ached for her. I just wanted to shout, 'Mom, don't cry! I'm here! I'm not dead! Please don't cry, Mom' but I couldn't find my voice.

Then there was another voice. It was the voice that allowed me to welcome peace, it was male- not extremely deep but an unmistakably masculine voice. It was so natural to hear but so alien. How I was hearing, I had no idea. Maybe this was death. I just didn't know.

The voices from the outside filled my head, "She has your eyes, Jack," my mother said. Who was Jack? The man?

She continued, "They're yours, Jack. They're yours. I'm sorry I never told you. You just never stayed long enough to know. They both are a lot like you. Cam had your same strength, resilience, and that take charge attitude you have always had. Lulu has your charisma, humor, and bravery." I would have smiled if I could. She spoke of me so highly, and she had captured the essence of Lulu in three simple words.

Suddenly I felt him pick me up and hold me as if I were a small child. I treasured the warmth. Gentle, satiny lips kissed my forehead and I could have sworn a tear fell from my eye. The man holding me, I knew who he was. I didn't know how he was here or why, but he was my father. He lay me down so smoothly it was as if I were made of porcelain china.

"I know you are grieving but in order to find your . . . our other daughter we need to go talk to my team." It was my father, he knew about Lulu. Oh sweet Lulu. They _needed_ to find her, my precious baby sister.

I only heard cries in response and I felt my mother kiss me once more than I felt her presents move. I only heard, "I have one more thing to do down here, you go up and talk to Gwen, okay?"

After that my mom's dainty footsteps went upstairs. In those next few seconds my entire life flashed before my eyes, my brain went blank, and the light flooded in and pain faded. Next thing I knew I could expand my lungs and sensation returned to my body and my eyes opened to see a man who was a stranger but my family. My father.

My body still was brittle and cold as I tried to push myself up. I was supposed to be dead, but the pair of solemn blue eyes following mine told me otherwise. How was this possible?

"You . . . you . . . Are you him?" My voice was strained. My body hurt. I was tired and confused. And I wanted answers.

"Who do you think I am?" he asked softly, in awe. He wasn't freaking out. His calm countenance startled me. He had thought I died, I thought I had died. He looked surprised, yes, but not as astonished as I would expect.

"You're my . . . dad?" I asked it like a question but truly it was a statement. He looked like me. His hair matched mine and Lulu's shade of midnight black. His eyes were icy blue, just like mine and Lulu's. He took slow steps towards me as if I would attack him and he kneeled down next to me.

Before really thinking it through, I threw my arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. He tensed up for a second and stiffened like a board, but then held me in his arms without question. It felt so normal. He rubbed my back softly and whispered comforting words into my ears. This felt . . . right.

I pulled away and looked directly at him, tears blurring my sight. "How?"

Jack smiled at me weakly, he looked like he honestly understood my befuddlement. "How am I here, or how are you alive?" We both laughed a little- together, like it should be.

"Everything?" I asked, at a loss for words. Normally I was more verbose than this but I couldn't even begin to describe how I was feeling.

He hesitated, obviously choosing his words very carefully before explaining, "Well a long, long time ago I was killed and was brought back to life and after that . . . I never could die. I even don't completely understand the circumstances. I guess those genes passed into you. There is so much more that goes with it, and I know it sounds strange but if you can trust me I promise I will explain everything after we get this resolved."

"Why are you here, did you know I would die?" I needed answers and although science told me his words were lies, the way my day had gone, I would have believed just about anything at that point.

"No, I didn't know this would happen today. Truthfully, I didn't know you existed." Well, at least he was honest. "I am here because of the device I believe your sister had. It is something not from here and we need to take it into custody." Jack's voice told me he was telling the truth, and my mind was too tired to break it down so I just took his words as facts.

"I need to tell my mother and sister I'm okay. Can you take me up to them?" He looked at me, confused, until realization dawned on his face.

"Cameron, how much do you remember from today?" he asked and I told him honestly,

"I don't remember much. Why what did I miss? How did I die?" I truly didn't remember much about today. When I woke up it disappeared. Maybe I missed something but I didn't care, I just wanted my family.

There looked to be some sort of internal debate raging inside him and he finally came to the decision to tell me, "I will explain later, let's go see your mom." He stood up and I tried to follow suit but my knees just buckled and I fell painfully to the floor. Without saying a word, he easily lifted me up and carried me up the basement stairs.

He opened the door while still holding me and carried me into the living room. Two strangers looked at me in total confusion and amazement and when my mother turned around, her jaw dropped. I could see she had been crying and fresh tears were still falling. "You're alive?"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Helloooooo! We told you we'd try to update on Fridays! Well, keep in mind that we live in California, so it's still Friday for us. . . . Anyway, please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :)**

 **P.S. This chapter title is a reference to the song (cover?) on Nashville "Don't Put Dirt on my Grave Just Yet", which is an amazing song from an amazing show. The title was too long to put on the scroll list (lol) but here it is!**

 **Warning: There is definitely some violence in this chapter, at the beginning.**

 **Disclaimer: Torchwood and BBC is quite obviously not ours, or we would have had John Barrowman on our payroll. XD**

 **Chapter 7: Don't Put Dirt on my Grave Just Yet**

I screamed out in agony as the knife dove in and out of my stomach but I knew perfectly well there was no around to hear me but my attacker. Just like every assault before, the gaping, burning knife wound in my stomach slowly but steadily healed up until it was like it never existed. I panted in exhaustion.

"So, are you going to give me the artifact yet?" he sneered, twirling the bloody knife around his fingers. My cheeks were wet with the tears I just couldn't blink away but I absolutely refused to give in.

"You'll have to kill me first," I taunted. It meant especially much because, with this artifact around my wrist, not only did my wounds rapidly heal, but it wouldn't let me die. There were a few times, like the last, where his stabbings were so deep that it would have killed anyone else, but the spontaneous regeneration saved me every time.

The one thing the artifact _didn't_ help me with was the blinding and overwhelming pain. No, I felt _everything_.

He had tried just about everything to get the artifact away from me, even stooping so low to _sawing off my hand_. That excruciating pain had almost pushed me over the edge but the warm grasp of unconsciousness I desperately coveted couldn't save me, because as my hand painfully grew back and the device that had been sliced off along with it reattached to my new hand, I stayed alert as ever. I vomited all over the ground, but I was unfortunately _awake_.

The thing was, he deduced the only way I could actually give it to him was by literally ordering it off my hand and flatout handing it to him like a gift. It turns out, he had been hiding in my lab, just waiting for me to discover how to open it before he pounced. He hadn't known, he only knew "from legend" what it did. He even, as I screamed in pain, explained to me why he murdered the John Doe. Apparently, he didn't even care about the John Doe's other artifacts, though he stole them only to cover up for the artifact he truly wanted.

The horrible man had planned it all out. He knew the artifact was in the John Doe's boot (the John Doe hadn't known how to open it either) and was waiting for someone intelligent enough to figure it out. So, he pulled strings and the body (which normally would be examined by the nearest PD) was given to us, Cam and I. He knew if anyone could figure it out, it would be me. And I did. I figured out how to open it, and thus it revealed how to rid myself of it, presumably asking it to detach from myself.

I refused to give it up. No, he was evil and if given such invulnerability, who knows what _more_ crimes and horrible deeds he could commit? So I just let him torture me.

I refused to beg, though. I couldn't help but cry, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of begging him to stop.

He was staring at me in shock and something similar to awe, perhaps. "Most people I've tortured like this have snapped a while back, but not you. Why?"

I wiped the sticky blood out of my face from when he had sliced open my forehead. "I'm sorry I'm disappointing you and your sadistic needs, you sick bastard, but I'm not like other people," I spat with as much venom as I could possibly summon up. As brave and tough I was endeavoring to be, I still couldn't stifle my endless sobs.

I wanted my sister and mommy so bad, so, so, _so_ bad. . . .

"Why won't you just give me the damn artifact?" he demanded harshly. I smirked as best I could through my crying-I was smug, in a way, because this was the only way in this awful, awful situation that I most certainly did have the upperhand.

"Haven't we gone through this already?" I sang, pretending I wasn't essentially delirious. "You know what's something I _wasn't_ planning on doing today? Handing over an endlessly powerful object to a psychopathic megalomaniac. That just wasn't on my to-do list, sorry."

He angrily gauged the knife into my side again and cried out in pain, slumping against the wall. Squeezing my eyes shut, I waited for the agony to dissipate into numbness as the wound healed.

My most desperate wish was no longer to be with my family . . . it was to die. I couldn't take it any longer, I just couldn't. The pain had to stop. I wanted to die.

"You aren't going to break, are you?" he asked almost thoughtfully.

"You just figured that out?" I groaned into the dusty floor. My tears pooled into the dirt and I struggled to pull myself to a sitting position.

The man pondered it over and suddenly reached down and grabbed me from underneath my armpits, hauling me up to my feet. Even though I was all healed and dandy, my energy was completely depleted and my knees nearly buckled from beneath me. Black spots danced before my eyes.

"I have a better idea for you to give it over," he informed me. "And it will work this time."

I didn't dignify that with an answer. He dragged me to the back of his SUV and tossed me in like a sack of potatoes and I flinched as I met the back of the seat. He slammed the door shut and I was met with a resounding blackness.

As the SUV zoomed forward, I put every effort into stifling my tears but I found that I couldn't. Everytime I closed my eyes I felt the knife stabbing, carving into me, I saw my limb, detached hand lying near me as I screamed my head off at the indescribable agony. He threw the hand away after a different, foreign one grew in its place. I kept seeing the blood pour out of me. . . . So, no, I couldn't stop crying.

My clothes were caked with layers upon layers of blood, and almost every inch of my skin was stained with it. I found myself wondering how I would ever put this torture behind me, live a normal life . . . if I made it through the night. But if I did survive, I couldn't see how it wouldn't haunt me every minute of every hour of every day. . . .

It wasn't _fair_! It wasn't fair that my mom noticed early on how intelligent Cam and I were, and forced us into this astonishingly high-paced life, how I had to be a forensic scientist at the young age of fourteen instead of just finishing up middle school. It was almost summer now. I should've been off hanging out with my friends, which I didn't have because I had no time to make any.

I should have had a childhood.

So, I wept my pain and bitterness and fear and regret over the injustice of it all. I didn't even know why it all suddenly came rushing forward, maybe the horrible experience of the last few hours made my life flash before my eyes.

Before I knew it, the man had the trunk open and my heart sunk into my stomach when I took in my house. If he was here, then he wanted to hurt my family. I wouldn't let that happen.

"Get out here," he growled but I fiercely shook my head.

"Go to hell," I snarled. He _wouldn't_ hurt my family. His lips curled up to reveal his canine-like teeth and he snatched me by the collar of my jacket, yanking me out of the SUV. The cool touch of metal pressed against my throat; the knife. "Do you think that bothers me?" I asked bravely, trying to push my fear away. "You can't hurt me."

I cringed as he dug the knife into my neck just enough for me to feel warm blood trickle down. "C'mon, kid, we're going to take a walk." He began to drag me over to the house, but I refused to budge my feet so I made it that much more difficult.

"If you hurt my family, I'll kill you," I threatened.

"Are you really in the place to be making threats?" Then it occurred to me. He couldn't kill me, so what leverage did he have by holding me at knifepoint? None, none at all.

I jerked my elbow backwards into his ribcage and shimmied out of his hold, spinning on my heel to sprint the other way-away from my house. However healed I may have been, though, I was still exhausted and he easily caught up with me. He held me in a tight chokehold, removing all room for me to escape. "Not a good idea, kid."

"Had to try," I croaked out, which was difficult considered his arm was crushing my throat. He lead me toward my house once more.

He kicked open my front door and threw me through the doorway onto the hardwood floor. Roughly picking me up, he yet again held me at knifepoint and shouted, "I'm baaaaack! Get down here!"

After a short moment, the first of the footsteps began pounding upstairs. The first person that appeared was quite possibly the sexiest man I had ever seen in my life, despite the trench coat and suspenders.

Next, a rather scrawny man followed and then a pretty dark-haired woman, and then . . . my mom and sister. "Mom, Cam!" I cried and the man covered my mouth with his hand.

They skidded to a stop when they saw me, their eyes stretched as wide as they could go in horror. "What did you do to my daughter?!" my mom screamed and the sexy, trench coat man had to hold her back.

 **Jack's Perspective**

 **A few hours before . . .**

Jasmine's face was one of shock and unfathomable joy as Cameron came into view. Jack knew he was going to have to explain it to his team but for now he was still processing the fact that he not only had a daughter but she regenerated just like him. He didn't know how strong it was but she definitely had it.

"Oh God, please tell me I'm not dreaming," Jasmine cried, floating over to them. Fresh tears of happiness rolled down her face.

Gwen and Owen were both stunned and Jack knew that they had questions. Gwen mouthed _How_? but he decided to leave it alone until Cameron was out of the room and they could figure out the situation with Lulu without freaking out Cameron. Her mind must have backtracked a bit to compensate for the grief and pain she was feeling on top of the trauma her body had endured. Jack needed to tell everyone to leave it alone for now, until they could break it to her slowly.

"I'm really here, Mom," Cameron choked out, smiling widely. Jack could tell her body was weak because even when she tried to sit up in his arms she had winced and fallen back.

Her mom came up to her slowly and help her face between her hands, it was a sweet sight. Jasmine's smile was blinding. "My baby," she murmured passionately. "My baby girl."

Both girls were crying and even Gwen could be seen out of the corner of his eyes with misty eyes.

She gave her daughter a tender kiss and looked up at Jack with immeasurable gratitude. "How did you save her, Jack?"

"We should discuss this after we get her down to rest." Jack looked at her with a Soon look and then directed his attention to his team. "Owen, come take Cam here up to her room and check her over please, I would like to make sure she is all right."

Cam cleared her throat, grabbing everyone's attention, "Wait, where is Lulu? I need to tell her I'm okay, and I don't need to rest, I need answers. Put me down."

"Cameron, I truly don't believe you are strong enough to stand yet, just let me lay you down in the other room and then Owen will come and make sure nothing else is wrong." Jack was trying to keep her from noticing the full absence of her sister.

"Your body language is tense and you are trying to be rid of me, which are clear signs you are either lying to me, or not telling me something, so I recommend you tell me the truth now, and trust me, I will know if you are lying." Her eyes were tired yet determined. She then rolled her eyes and barked, "Put me down!"

Jack let Cam down gently. He knew she wouldn't be able to stand but she was his kid so she wouldn't have relented. The second she stood on her own she fell forward right into Owen-only half-accidentally.

"Hey, hot stuff." She batted her eyelashes seductively.

Owen, a little surprised at first, smiled at her and simpered, "Well hello, sweetheart."

"Owen, I swear to God, stay away from her or I will end you," Jack growled. He was still a bit overwhelmed with everything and the last thing he needed was Owen fucking his daughter.

"Bloody hell, Jack," Owen complained, lifting an unbalanced Cameron into his arms.

"Wait, however I am enjoying being carried off to my bedroom by a handsome young man, you never answered my question," Cameron intervened. Jack inwardly groaned. She was very much his daughter.

"Jack, did I tell you she is the second biggest flirt on the planet?" her mom mentioned, still crying. "Lulu's in the top twenty."

"And who would be the first?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You," all but Cameron said in unison.

"However much I like a good laugh, where the hell is my sister?" Cameron demanded, scanning all faces around her for answers.

"Hold that thought," Jack said holding up a single finger. With his back turned to his daughter, he mouthed to Owen the single word, 'Sedative.' Owen minutely nodded and passed Cam over to Jack.

"What's going on?" Cam asked suspiciously as Owen rummaged vigorously through his med pack. He expertly prepped a needle and pulled it out. Before Cam could protest, he jammed the needle into her thigh and her eyelids quickly fluttered closed.

"Did you just drug my daughter?" Jasmine asked, looking at Owen with wild eyes.

"We had no choice," Jack said unapologetically. "We need to discuss the other kid, uninterrupted. Owen, go lay her down in the living room then come in here for a briefing. Gwen, what do we have on the other girl?"

"Well according to Mrs. Bennett, the girls were downstairs working when she heard the bullet and screams. When she came down to investigate, a man was holding her daughter, Lulu, at gunpoint and threatening to shoot her if Mrs. Bennett didn't lock herself in the basement." Gwen was putting a lot of effort into sounding calm and methodical, but it was easy to observe how bothered she was.

"So, in sum, without Cam, we really don't know anything." Jack ran his hand, frustrated, through his dark hair. The one person who could give them answers didn't remember and was now unconscious to boot. "Shit," he muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry I can't give you more information," Jasmine sniffled. Tears were again filling her eyes and she looked horrified beyond belief.

"It's not your fault, we will find her," Gwen soothed, giving her hand a compassionate squeeze. That was one reason he had hired her, she was the only one (from what he could tell from her so far) who took the time to actually talk and empathize with the victims.

Right then Owen came back with an incredulous look slapped across his face. "So what the hell, Jack? Ten minutes ago that girl was dead and now she doesn't even have a scratch on her."

"Well . . ."

Much to Jack's surprise, Cameron came walking in with an irate expression in place. "If you would have given me a second and let me remember before you sedated me, I could've given you some information. Luckily, my baby sister is smarter than you people."

"Bloody hell, how are you awake? That sedative should have kept you under for at least six hours," Owen said in awe.

"Shut it, pretty boy." She gave him a rude look before turning to everyone and explaining, "Lulu invented a solution that when injected, fights sedatives in the blood. It is still in development but we managed to get enough of a prototype to use and we were the test subjects." Jack arched his eyebrows and let out a low whistle.

"Amazing," Owen breathed, highly impressed. She ignored him profusely, evidently still angry with him for injecting the sedative within her in the first place.

"The man was tall, light-haired with a navy-green hood. Like the Green Arrow, sort of. He had brown eyes," she said, thoughtfully going over all she could remember. "He had a muscular build, strong, apparent when he grabbed her. . . ." Fierce realization flared in her eyes and she gasped, "He took Lulu! Oh God, he kidnapped my baby sister! _Where is my baby sister_?!"

Jack, remaining cool and collected as possible, replied, "That's what we are trying to figure out."

Her posture stiffened aggressively and her eyes gained this wild, almost rabid light. "You've got to find her, Jack! You lied to me! YOU'VE GOT TO FIND HER!"

"Do you know of any reason he would want to take her?" Gwen asked, taking on her police persona.

"Who the fuck are you?" she lashed out, turning to face Gwen.

"I'm Gwen Cooper, I work with Captain Jack Harkness and Owen Harper. We picked up strange signals from here, do you know of anything that could have gave off those signals?" Gwen was attempting to remain calm because the girl was livid but there was still a trace of annoyance within her. She remained professional and carefully unbothered, though.

Cameron rubbed her eyes and placed a hand on a corner table to support herself. She was exhausted and everyone could see it. "I apologise for my brash behavior but keep in mind it is justified, you have lied to me and my sister is in danger. Now, I believe I know what you may be looking for, the files are in my office with a more thorough report, but basically a victim we had recently examined had this object hidden in his boot. The artifact was ovalular, chrome-colored, and had a single crack down the center. It was nothing we had ever seen before, its compound structure amounted to nothing known to our world and there was nothing that even resembled it in the database. Lulu was enticed with the object and brought it here-stole it."

"Jack doesn't like when people do that," Owen muttered under his breath and Jack glared at him.

"Where is it now?" Jack interrogated, searching his mind for anything that could give them answers.

"That's the thing, it is on my sister. When she brought it here, I don't know how, but it attached to her and when I tried to yank it off her it threw me against the wall. It was like it was protecting her. I think it may have been what the man wanted, I don't think he had any information about us, I don't even think he knows our names, so I am rather sure it wasn't a planned attack on us specifically. Plus, the only variable in our lives that adjusted at all recently was that object," Cameron explained.

"Okay, thank you for your information. Gwen, go grab those files and have Jasmine show you where they are," Jack ordered, moving his hand to his earpiece, not bothering to acknowledge Jasmine's glare. "Tosh, look for signs of alien tech in this area. Owen, go make sure Cameron lays down and rests."

"Fuck no, I am helping," Cameron argued.

"Truly, there is nothing you can do but lay down," Owen said, pulling on her arm gently.

"I have a doctorate in pathology and an IQ of 180. I am pretty damn sure I could do _something_." Cameron was glaring at him. She was scared, assuredly so, and she was using her work to combat the idea of losing her sister.

"You know what you can do? Go get cleaned off so your mom doesn't have to see you covered in blood." Jack had to use her emotions against her to get her out of the way to do his job, and although he didn't feel good about it, it worked. With a final frown, she nodded and moved upstairs.

Owen stopped before following. "How to hell did she survive?"

Jack was surprised Owen wasn't even more questioning than that (after all, he did confirm she was dead) but didn't comment. "I believe it had something to do with the artifact they found. If it is what I think it is, the girl is alive but if the person who kidnapped her wanted it by any means necessary. . . . Well, let's just hope this is about something else."

Owen said no more, though he clearly wanted to, and followed Cameron upstairs, leaving Gwen, Jasmine, and Jack to find Lulu. Gwen worked on the police side of things (any sightings, where the SUV might have gone, etc.) and Toshiko worked by finding the girl through technology.

They were hoping they could find the girl through the artifact using the software they used to find it in the first place to find the artifact but the person who had Lulu had managed to run interference. Pretty much, they had nothing, leaving Jack to think and comfort the weeping mother and hope something would come to light.


	8. Chapter 8 - Part 1

**A/N: Hi, here's our Friday update! This chapter is going to split into two parts and we like to post an entire chapter a day, so both parts will be posted. Here's part 1! Please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :)**

 **Chapter 8: Part 1 - Never Give Up, Never Surrender**

 **Cam's Perspective**

The man Owen had followed behind me but he had stopped to ask the question that was on everyone's mind, _How did I survive_?

Jack had told him the same story he told me about alien technology, but I didn't believe him. Jack was hiding something that he didn't even want his team to know and I feared it may affect the case he was working on. Truly, I couldn't do anything about it. I didn't know the man well enough to tell for sure if he was lying and he seemed like the type who could lie through his teeth and no one would ever know.

Needless to say I decided to focus on cleaning up. Entering my room, I took a long look in the mirror and quickly realized what Jack had been saying. My light purple shirt now took on the color of a murky red and it made the fabric stiff and smelly. My face and arms were caked in dried blood almost as if someone had painted it on me carelessly.

Not caring in the slightest Owen was standing in the doorway, I took off my soiled shirt, tossed it in the trash, and was left only in my sports bra that was also soaked with the red liquid. Most people would be fazed by the sight but in my line of work it was normal, well except that the blood belonged to _me_ , that was new. I heard Owen clear his throat a few times but I ignored him.

I searched my drawer, picking out random articles of clothing and exiting to the bathroom to shower off. The water drained red so I viciously scrubbed the blood off every inch of my skin. Doing absolutely nothing was killing me, so I ran through different compound combinations in my head to stay calm. It was an odd thing to do, but I was a scientist, it was a little quirk of mine. Whenever Lulu was stressed, I could always hear her mutter the Periodic Table under her breath. Lulu . . .

After five minutes of the steaming hot water, I returned to my room fully dressed to find Owen sitting on my bed with an electronic searching device. Deciding to distract myself, I sat down next to him and did what came naturally, flirted. It was the only thing I could do to not go completely insane.

"So, you're that kind of guy, huh? Inviting yourself into a girl's room, sitting on her bed? I'm not complaining, the invitation is always open for cute guys like yourself."

He assumed the classic, 'Oh shit, jailbait,' expression and rather conspicuously scooted away. "Look, er, Cameron-"

"Don't say anything," I whispered seductively, straddling his lap. He just stared at me, dumbfounded, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. _Don't think about Lulu, don't think about Lulu_ , my mind begged of me. I was about ready to snap and I just needed to lose myself.

"Cameron, this isn't-"

I cut him off by pressing my lips softly against his. He didn't exactly kiss me back, but he didn't push me away either. I deepened the kiss, reaching down to grab the hem of my skirt and pull it over my head, tossing it to the side.

He gently pried his lips from mine and I pouted. "Cameron, I don't think this is the time and I don't think you're in a good mental state right now." _No, no, no_ , I thought hopelessly, _I'm going to lose it. I can't do this_.

"You know you want this." I dove in for another kiss but my guard had already slipped. Hot, salty tears spilled down my cheeks and I desperately clutched his black hair beneath my fingers.

He gingerly pulled me off his lap to rest next to him and I cried into my hands. His hand stiffly rubbed my mostly bare back as I shook with sobs.

Through my tears, I saw Jack appear in the doorway ready to tell us something until he took a moment to let the scene before him sink in. In a flash, he grabbed the fabric of Owen's collar and slammed him into the wall, growling dangerously, "What the hell is going on in here?"

"It's not what it looks like," Owen stammered out, grasping futilely at Jack's iron grip.

"What I see is my shirtless teenage daughter crying with you in her bedroom."

Owen's eyes nearly bugged out of his sockets and the blood drained from his face. "Hold up, she's your _daughter_?!"

"That's not the point," Jack ground out through clenched teeth. "I want to know what happened in here."

I knew that I had to jump in before Jack leaped to anymore wrong conclusions, so I sniffled, "Jack, it's not his fault. I-I came onto him and then I started to cry and he was only comforting me. Honest." Owen nodded vehemently.

"Put on a shirt," Jack ordered, still not removing Owen from the wall. _Poor Owen,_ I thought sympathetically.

Gwen and my mom soon rushed up and took in the scene before them. Gwen, who I was quickly learning was the compassionate new girl, rushed over to me and covered my front with a blanket. I pushed the blanket away and pulled on my shirt, hugging my torso tightly. My mom squeezed my shoulder and I lay my head down on her hand. She knew it was me who initiated it; she knew me so well.

"What the hell did you do Owen?" Gwen's tone was accusing and she looked at him with a death glare.

"Do you guys really think that little of me?" Owen asked, pretending to be offended. He was attempting to joke, but I knew that it did actually hurt him that they would believe he would do something so terrible. He was just too proud to display his hurt.

All of a sudden, a loud crash from downstairs rang through the air, and everyone fell silent. A deep voice yelled, "I'm baaaaack! Get down here!"

Jack was the first to move, racing down the stairs with his gun drawn, and his two colleagues followed suit. We all knew what was happening and I didn't waste a second before following, my mom hot on my heels.

Once I reached the hallway, my heart shredded into a million tiny pieces after almost stopping altogether. My baby sister . . . there was hardly an inch of her not stained in crimson. Her hair was caked in it, her clothes soaked in it. Her skin was no longer the color of Casper the Friendly Ghost, it was an angry, horrible red. So, so much _red_.

Tears made tracks through the dried blood and she looked so . . . haunted. I couldn't even imagine what she had gone through. Bile rose to my throat and I fought down the horrible urge to vomit.

"Mom, Cam," she cried out, positively terrified. A knife was still to her neck. . . .

"What have you done to my daughter?" My panicked mom ran toward the man but Jack had stopped her in her tracks with his superior strength.

I stared at my wounded little sister and tears threatened to overflow from my eyes, but I held them back and took in a deep breath. I looked her directly in the eyes and said firmly, "Everything is gonna be okay."

His hand now covering her mouth, her eyes glimmered with hope but it was worth nothing because that hope was extinguished a few seconds later. My speaking seemed to bring realization to the kidnapper of who I was. Shock painted itself across his face and he looked at me in awe.

"I shot you dead, how the fuck are you alive?" he yelled, tightening his grip on the knife. Lulu squirmed beneath the blade.

"I'm not so easy to kill," I spat. Jack intervened and stepped in front of me while none too gently pushing my mother next to me so we were both shielded by him. With his gun still raised, an odd smirk came over Jack's face and I could almost hear the gears grinding in his head.

"So, you do realize Lulu can't die, right? I mean, you came back for a reason, and I'm guessing that you know what that thing on her wrist is or we wouldn't be here." Jack's tone was very carefully laid back, almost as if he were having a casual conversation and a knife wasn't being held to my little sister's throat. The man's shock wore off and a twisted smile took its place.

"I do realize that, my good man. I've spent the last few hours trying to _coax_ her to give it willingly," the sick son of a bitch dragged the knife across her throat and blood streamed from the jagged cut that formed. Feral, incandescent rage boiled inside of me and red blurred my vision. Lulu shut her eyes, more tears leaking out, and I couldn't bear to watch her being tortured like this so I closed my eyes, too.

"Let my baby go!" my mom screamed at the top of her lungs and I had to hold her back this time.

"You're outnumbered," Owen pointed out evenly, propping up his gun with his hand beneath it. I could see, even through his calm demeanor, the disgust in his eyes. "Let the kid go. It's over."

Much to my astonishment, the lips of the cut closed together like an invisible needle was weaving it together. I pushed forward to see what was happening up close and was shocked that not even the faintest of scars was left.

I stepped forward even further with a new determination. "Put my sister down, _please_."

Jack grabbed my wrist but I turned and shook my head. He didn't resist me as a removed my hand from his shackle of a grip.

Lulu struggled against his hold again, shaking her head fiercely. "Don't be stupid, Cam," she begged with fervent emotion.

One more step, another, I was nearly standing directly in front of the two. "Let my sister go."

"Gladly." In a swift move, Lulu was shoved forward onto the ground and I was spun into the man's strong arms. A sharp knife was brought to my throat, my heart racing and my head reeling. _What just happened_?

"Cam!" Lulu wailed, after realizing the situation. She scrambled to her feet but was seized by Gwen and Owen and held back. She fought desperately to break free but she might as well have been trying to break free from chains. " _Cam_!"

Pushing a horrified Jasmine behind him, Jack stepped forward and pointed the gun directly at the man's head. "I'm giving you one chance. Let the girl go or you'll regret it."

"You are definitely in the position to make threats." With a wicked gleam in his eyes, he dragged the tip of the knife deeply into my shoulder and my knees nearly gave way at the intense pain. It spread across my arm like a wildfire.

"CAM!" Lulu and Jasmine shouted in unison. Jack's finger tightened around the trigger. "You evil son of a bitch!" Jasmine cried, "I'll kill you!"

"Now give me the damn device, or Little Girl #2 gets it!" He threateningly positioned the knife back to my neck, putting enough pressure for blood to begin to leak from the wound. It felt like my neck was being attacked by an open flame and I couldn't fathom how Lulu lasted so long against this.

Lulu, in a sudden movement, threw two hurtling elbows back into Owen and Gwen. They were sent sprawling backwards and she frantically grabbed at the device.

Jasmine tried to run forward with a "Lulu, what are you doing?!" but Owen was there first, wrapped his arms around Jasmine's waist to keep her detained.

Jack shot Lulu a warning look. "Lulu, don't." She lifted it near her mouth and he said more harshly, "Don't you dare!"

Lulu glared back venomously and spat, "This is my fucking sister we're talking about, so if you could kindly _fuck_ off, that would be swell!" She whispered into the device, turning away from Jack, "I, Doctor Laurel Kristy Bennett, command you to detach from me. You are no longer part of me."

Obediently, the alien device fell off her hand onto the hardwood floor with a _bang_ , and she quickly picked it up, holding it up with trembling fingers. "You want the device? Here it is!" She prepared to toss it over.

Jack lunged forward and captured her by her wrist, preventing the movement. He ducked his face down to look her straight in the eyes. "I said _don't_."

"Who the _hell_ do you think you are?" she growled, ripping her hand out of his.

For a moment, I legitimately thought he was going to tell her the truth. But he wisely came to the conclusion that this was not the time nor the place. "I'm . . . my name's Captain Jack Harkness, and I'm telling you to _give that to me_. You don't understand how unmeasurably powerful he would be with that device."

For a single moment, her eyes flickered with indecision but then she steeled her resolve, hopping away from him so she was out of reach. "I don't give a damn, that's my sister."

I wanted- I _needed_ to tell her to stop, to inform her how I came back from the dead and it was likely I could do it again, but my cut throat hurt too badly and the world around me was too hazy for me to follow through.

Jack must have read my mind because he said firmly, "Lulu, you don't understand, Cam can't d-"

"All of you, shut up!" the man bellowed, driving the knife further into my throat. Lulu hurried over to me, dodging Jack's attempt to restrain her once more, and held out the device.

"Take it," she hissed, waving it in front of his face. "Take it!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing for her to just let me die. He couldn't have the device!

I waited for his icy cold voice to croon to the device as Lulu just had, but it never _happened_. Instead, a force barreled into the three of us and we all collapsed to the floor in a tangle of limbs and bodies. It was my mother . . . my mother quite possibly just saved us all.

The device skidded over to Gwen and she scooped it up, cradling it to her chest. My mother pushed me away from the man, over to Jack and he picked me up protectively. They rescued me.

My mom was fighting the man now, viciously, tooth and nail. She was in momma-bear mode. I heard Lulu yelling something, but it was distorted and I felt like I was underwater, drowning. . . .

Jack, passing me to Owen, and tried to find a good, clean shot of the man but he couldn't shoot without possibly hurting my mom either.

" _Mom_!" Lulu shrieked as she took a particularly nasty blow to the side. And that's when little Lulu joined the fight, jumping on the man's back and digging her heels into his side.

Owen was pressing his hand to my throat to stop the bleeding but I tried to shove him off. "She's losing blood, Jack! Gwen, get my medical bag!"

Jack's face hovered over mine and I felt his hands on either side side of my face. "Stay with me, Cam. Keep your eyes open. I don't know if you'll- I don't know if you'll be so lucky this time, like before."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could only observe helplessly as the action took place. There was my mother, fighting to save our lives and now my entirely vulnerable, artifact-less baby sister following suit. I didn't want to sit and watch as they battled so courageously but I had no choice. No damn choice.


	9. Chapter 8 - Part 2

**A/N: Hi, here's the second part to chapter eight! This is a very short part but it ends with a cliffy. Please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :)**

 **Thank you all for those who have been reading, favoriting, and following, and a special thanks to Caiitycat for being our second reviewer!** **We really appreciate all of you.**

 **Chapter 8 - Part 2: The Shot Heard 'Round the World**

My mother just saved my sister and now it was my job to save _her_. I jumped on the man's back like he was a bucking bronco, snaking my arms around his neck into a chokehold and smashing my heels into his side like they were spurs.

"Giddyup, horse-y!" I taunted, feeling his throat stiffen up beneath my airtight grip.

"Get off!" he gasped out and I only held on tighter.

"Like hell I will!"

See, I was a scientist and that was about it. I never quite learned how to fight- well, at least not very _well_. I was overpowered far more easily than I would have liked to be.

He flipped me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and I hit the ground- _hard_. "Damn," I groaned, pain shooting up and down my back like a bullet.

"Nice try, you little bitch," he sneered but his head was quickly snapped back violently as my mother punched him in the nose. _I never knew she was such a badass,_ I found myself thinking. Maybe being involved in the stripper industry toughened her up.

"No one hurts my daughters and gets away with it!" she yelled in a rage. The man kicked her in the side and I swear I heard a loud _crack_.

" _Mom_!" I shouted, shielding her with my body as he attempted to attack her further. I earned myself a punch to the back of my head but I refused to cease protecting her.

"Baby, I'm okay!" She cupped my cheek and caressed it with her thumb. "Stay safe, my Lulu baby, I've got this."

"No way, Mom, I've got your back." She faintly smiled and before either of us could say anything further, I felt a hand pull on the scruff of my neck and throw me off her. I skidded across the hardwood floor until I came to an abrupt stop against the nearest wall. I groaned again.

There was no defense between the man and myself; the others were busy with my rapidly ailing sister, my mom was incapacitated, the artifact was no longer attached to me. "You're done," the man said softly, teasingly, as if he were reading my mind. He pulled a gun from his waistband, and raised it. . . .

I blocked it all out, my sister's cries of agony as she slowly slipped from this world, the others' frantic attempts to save her, my mom's screams of protest. It was all fading to a peaceful silence. I knew it was my time, I knew it was over. "I failed," I whispered ever so quietly to myself, nearly breaking the serenity of the silence. I resigned to my fate, closing my eyes. . . .

Bang . . . _bang_!


	10. Chapter 9: Till Death Do Us Part

**A/N and trigger warning: Hey, everyone! This is a fairly short chapter but we decided to include a trigger warning that this is a sad and potentially distressing chapter because it includes a death. You have been warned. On that happy note, please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much!**

 **Chapter 9: Till Death Do Us Part**

 **Lulu's Perspective**

The searing tear of the bullet, the ripping of flesh . . . it never came. I waited patiently, waited for the agony, waited for death. _It never came_. Fearfully, I opened my eyes just to meet the expression of sheer despair and shock belonging to my captor. Sweat beaded down his face as he clutched his side, crimson pooling into the fabric of his shirt.

He fell to his knees, then to the ground, and his movements stilled. He . . . he was dead.

But there were _two_ bullets, weren't there? Terrified beyond words, my eyes scoped the room. The man named Jack was standing tall with his gun elevated, he _had_ been the one to shoot the man. He looked absolutely stunned, and the blood was draining from everyone's faces as they were looking at me, but not quite at _me_. They hadn't been shot, nor Cam . . . _Cam_! I would never forget the expression on her face. Pure, sickening horror . . . but _why_?

I think that in my heart, I knew. I was just too afraid to allow myself come to that conclusion, come to the conclusion that if they weren't shot, and I wasn't shot, then there was only one person left. . . .

A strangled sigh puffed out near me and I finally shifted my gaze over, finally accepted the truth. _It was my mom_.

She had been shot right in the chest, right where her beautiful, loving pure heart was. . . . There was so much blood, so, so much _blood_. . . .

Mom was looking right at me, calmly almost. She was at peace with her decision to take that bullet for me, to save me.

At last, I snapped out of my trance and dove over to her, pushing down on the bullet wound in her chest with all my might but the blood kept gurgling up. " _Mom_ , _please_!" I didn't even realize I was crying until the sobs nearly overtook me. "Stay with me, Mommy!"

Another pair of hands joined mine, masculine hands. The other man, the man who wasn't Jack, told me gently, "Let me take care of her."

"No!" I shouted. "Stay away from my mom! I don't . . . I don't know you people!" But he was more experienced than me in medical practices I soon realized, so I reluctantly let him take over.

Cam dragged herself next to me, silent tears falling from her eyes. She was barely holding herself up. With a shaky hand, she clutched mine and we looked down in anguish as our mother's breaths became shorter.

"Owen, can you help her? You've got to save her," Cam croaked, rubbing at her throat and shoulder absentmindedly as the strength seeped out of her. She slumped against me, struggling to keep her eyes open, and I propped her up.

"Cam, you know the answer to that," he said, deep sadness in his tone. _No, no, no_! I thought, unable to find the voice to express my sorrow.

"Use the artifact!" Cam begged of him but something awful occurred to me.

"That's not how it works," I said with as much bitterness as I could muster. "I'm speaking from experience, it only works when the weapon is removed from your body."

The man's dark eyes shadowed over till they were nearly black. "The bullet is lodged inside of your mother's heart. If I tried to remove it, she wouldn't make it until we could connect the artifact to her. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do." Cam cried out in frustration.

Mom told him quietly, since his hands were still pressed against the gaping hole, "Please, let go. I know I'm dying. I can already feel it . . . feel it around me. I just . . . I just need to say a few things."

The man named Owen came over to wrap his arm around Cam's shoulders, supporting her weight almost completely and the other woman sat besides them, but now I was only focused on one person: my mom.

Our mom's eyes flickered back between Cam and I, and it warmed my heart to see the unmistakable gleam of love and pride. "My beautiful, amazing daughters. I am so undeserving of you two, yet you made me feel loved and important everyday even though you were beyond the lives I could give you."

"Mom," Cam said through her tears, her voice strained and dry but she fought with everything to get out every word. "You gave us _everything_ we could need, everything we could want. Never doubt that. You deserve everything in the world and so much more."

"You're the best mom we could have asked for," I sobbed and I felt a strong hand grip my shoulder's: Jack's. My mom feebly lifted up her hands and Cam and I each took one in our own. I kissed it tenderly before gasping, "I'm so sorry, Mommy, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have stolen the artifact, or this wouldn't be _happening_ -"

"Never be sorry, my precious daughter," my mom crooned, her voice, her movements, everything about her weakening. "You are not at fault, don't you _dare_ blame yourself."

I refused to show my doubt in front of her so all I could do was whisper, "I love you so much, Mommy." She squeezed my hand and I cradled it to my chest.

"I love you so much," Cam breathed the same time as me, kissing Mom's other hand.

"I love you both, so much." She smiled warmly then looked past me, right at Jack. "Jack . . . I need you to take care of them. Take care of my babies."

He nodded stoically, but I ignored that interaction. It suddenly occurred to me _exactly_ what was happening. I begged, "Mom, _no_! Stay with us, _please_! Please don't leave us, we need you, we love you!" Cam wept into Mom's hand.

"You're both so, so strong." The light began to leave my mom's eyes and she summoned up the last of her energy to say ever so softly, "I love you."

As the words fell from her mouth, her eyes glazed over completely and death embraced her. Jasmine Elizabeth Bennett was gone from this world and onto the next. My mom was dead.


	11. Chapter 10: Broken Hearts

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry about the last chapter, it was very depressing but necessary. Just to make this clear, though the mother has died in this story and there are several less than satisfactory mothers in our Avengers story and even one in our Outsiders story, we both have great relationships with our own moms. It has nothing to do with our real life relationships, it just really does serve our plot. Now, this chapter is a bit depressing, too, unfortunately but . . . Please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks! :)**

 **P.S. Really, guys, thanks so much for the reads, reviews, favorites, and follows. All of you are awesome and we really appreciate it.**

 **Warning: A little more profanity than usual, but only because of the situation.**

 **Chapter 10: Broken Hearts**

 **Jack's Perspective**

Jack took a deep breath and assessed the situation, Gwen moving to stand somberly by his side, tears rolling down her ashen cheeks.

Cameron was ghastly pale and seemed to have even lost the energy to cry. She just was sitting there quietly, so quietly, watching her sister beg and plead and cry over her mother. He couldn't hear the sirens yet, but they were coming, he knew it. They needed to leave before the police came and investigated because they were caught up in a huge mess, but he needed to let the girls have a moment with their mother. It was the least he could do.

"We have to go," he said solemnly after a few minutes. "We have to go now." Lulu's back stiffened like a board and she snapped her head around, her eyes icy daggers sharpened to a deadly point. She stood to her feet, her lips curling up into a snarl.

" _Who the HELL do you think you_ _are?_ I'm not leaving her, you got that? I'M NOT LEAVING HER! I don't fucking know you. Get the fuck out of here!" she lashed out, standing vigil over her mother's lifeless body. He was unfazed.

Cameron in nothing more than a whisper said, "Lulu, he's right, we need to go and take . . . We need to take her to a place where her body can't be publically viewed." In an almost robotic motion, the teenage girl stood, most of her weight being braced by Owen.

"I will go tell off anyone who may be asking questions outside, and bring the car right to the door," Gwen added, before taking her quick leave.

Lulu was trembling with fury and shock, her breath coming in rapid, uneven gasps. "No, no, no. No, this isn't fucking happening."

Jack approached Lulu with a mild caution. "Lulu, I'm-"

"No!" she screamed at him, backing away like a frightened animal. "Don't say you're sorry, that just makes it true! It's not true, this isn't happening! Leave me alone! LEAVE ME ALONE!" He raised his hands in a placating gesture.

Cam, ever the logical one, told Jack urgently as she melted into Owen's hold, "My mom . . . my mom was born in Cardiff, she grew up there. Sh-she loved it, never lost the accent. We were born there, too. We moved here when Lulu was a baby. She . . . she would want to be buried there."

"Then I promise that is what will happen," he said, his resolve unwavering, but he kept his voice soft and gentle for both girls' sakes. "Are there any things you desperately want with you? Now's the time to get them." He whispered so Lulu couldn't hear, "I don't think Lulu's in the state for that now, so could you grab anything that will help her through this?"

Cam nodded determinedly, and Owen helped her up the stairs.

Lulu's rabid eyes flickered after them, confused. "Why are they leaving? Why are they packing? We aren't going anywhere. Nothing happened, you see?" Jack could see her futile efforts to convince herself that everything was okay. It was her mind's way of protecting her from her living nightmare. "My mom's not dead. That's ridiculous. My mom's _not_ dead."

She fell to her knees and grabbed Jasmine's hand, burying her head into her shirt. "Mom, please, wake up. Nobody will believe me! Show them, show them you're not dead. Come on, _please_ , do it for me. Please wake up, Mommy, _please_."

He knelt down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder but she flinched away. "Lulu-"

"Don't call me that," she hissed, hovering protectively over her mother. "I'm Laurel to you. Lulu is what my family calls me. My mom gave me that nickname. She'll tell you, she will. She'll tell you once she wakes up."

Jack decided it wouldn't be beneficial to inform her he _was_ family yet. He attempted to pull her away but she threw a wild punch at him, which he very narrowly dodged. "NO, GET AWAY FROM ME!"

She was becoming hysterical, tears streaming down her cheeks but Jack didn't think she was lucid enough at the moment to notice. His heart ached for the grieving little girl, he felt so terribly bad for her, but there was no time to express this now.

He wrapped her up in his strong, unbreakable hold as she struggled with all her might. "GET OFF OF ME!"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he murmured into her ear, dragging her away from her mother's corpse.

"NO, YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" she bellowed, doing anything she could to escape. Punching, kicking, pinching, biting . . . but he wouldn't let go. "Take me back to her! She's going to wake up any minute and I need to be by her side!"

"Laurel, I'm so sorry, but your mom isn't waking up, sweetheart. She isn't going to wake up." It hurt him deeply to have to be the one to tell her this, but this responsibility nearly always fell upon him.

For a single, heartbreaking moment, he felt her go limp in his grasp and thought perhaps she had succumbed to her grief. But then she completely lost it. "NO, YOU'RE LYING! STOP LYING TO ME! I HATE YOU, _I HATE YOU_!"

He tried to allow her words to fall on deaf ears but he felt a stab of pain following each and every word. It was senseless of him to feel that way, considering she didn't even know he was her father and she was just lashing out because he was there, but he couldn't help it.

That was when Cam and Owen hurried down the stairs, several duffel bags in their hands. Her eyes were lifeless and he knew she was shutting down. He needed to get them both back to the plane. Owen nodded at him, then gestured to the crime scene, indicating that he would take care of both bodies, as well as all the DNA. Jack dipped his head in thanks.

Owen then handed Cam the duffel bags, which she unsteadily managed to carry. Jack felt relieved that it looked like her throat and arm wounds truly weren't as bad as they appeared at the time. They were rather shallow, but still painful.

Lulu finally gave into her sobs so he wrapped his arm under her knees and lifted her into a bridal hold, then let Cam rest her head against him as he slowly guided them out the door.

Owen had wrapped up her throat and shoulder nice and tightly though the bleeding from the shallow cuts had lessened considerably, but she was still weak so she leaned most of her weight onto him. He didn't mind at all.

The cops still weren't here yet so he helped Cam and the duffel bags into the rental car then draped his military coat over the left back seat of the car so Lulu wouldn't bloody it up. Blood covered about eighty percent of her body; it was gruesome to see and imagine what she had been through.

Jack ordered Gwen to help Owen take care of the bodies, so she slipped inside to do so. Lulu's sobs had quieted down to silent, ceaseless tears and Cam pulled her against her, letting her cry into her shirt. Cam's light blue eyes were still empty and vacant.

When Jack caught a glimpse of Owen backing out the door, he rapidly commanded, "Girls, close your eyes."

Lulu remained defiant in her irrational state so Cam numbly covered both of their eyes as Owen and Gwen carried the man's then Jasmine's corpse outside, carefully stowing them away in the back. Lulu's form was wrought with trembles as she heard the shifting of movement in the back, then the loud shutting of the back door. It had to be horrible for both of them, knowing their mother's body as well as her murderer's was right behind them.

Lulu's bout of crying started up again and Gwen climbed into the back as Owen hopped into the front. Cam blanketed her little sister with her arms and Gwen rubbed at the girl's shoulders, stroking her hair, undaunted by the blood. She whispered sweet nothings into both of his daughters' ears and it occurred to Jack how great of a mother she would make.

Jack snuck a glance over at Owen and noticed he was unusually white, white as a sheet. It had been traumatic for all of them to witness.

Jack revved up the engine and backed out of the driveway. Now he was beginning to hear the first of the sirens, but he knew they would be out of there before the police arrived.

The only sound piercing the crushing silence was Lulu's sniffles and attempts to stifle her sobs and Gwen's quiet murmuring to comfort the inconsolable girl.

 **An hour or so later. . . .**

The drive to the jet was long and arduous, but they made it. Their first stop had been to the hotel room of the late Gregory Munch's to collect the alien artifacts. Jack had sent Owen and Gwen inside so he could stay with the girls, and it didn't take long.

It was about three in the morning now and the sky was a rich inky black, symbolizing their collective moods.

Lulu was shivering; the dried blood must have felt awful on her skin. He helped her out of the SUV then draped his military coat over her shoulders like he was dressing a small child. She looked positively tiny in that jacket; it pooled on the ground near her feet.

Soon enough, they were all situated on the jet, both bodies residing safely in the other room. The faithful pilot knew by now to not question any of it; anything could go down in Torchwood.

Lulu, understandably exhausted from the day's events, dozed off on one of the couches with Cam by her side. The girl looked so much younger in her sleep.

After takeoff, Cam slid out of her seat and took a seat across from Jack. She had a look about her that told him she was scared, but unwilling to acknowledge the fact. Owen and Gwen tactfully left the main sitting room.

"Where are we going?" she asked firmly, looking Jack straight in the eyes.

"Our base in Cardiff, that is where you will be staying till we figure all this out," he explained. She nodded, fiddling with her thumbs. He could tell that there was a few questions eating away at her and he waited patiently for her to spit them out.

"And what will be happening to us?" she finally said and an invisible weight visibly lifted from her shoulders. "I won't be old enough to take custody of Lulu for a few months and between that time plenty of people will grow curious of our sudden disappearance. Also, where will we stay? All our money is in our . . . in her bank account."

"It will all be figured out with time, don't worry, Cameron. You can stay with me until everything is sorted out and then you can choose where you want to live," Jack answered honestly. He was contemplating everything. This is one case where his fairly vast knowledge couldn't help him in the slightest, he had to figure it out as he went along.

"You do realize my sister is clueless about all of this and so am I, to be truthful. Do you expect us to trust you?"

"No." He couldn't lie to her, to either of them, not after what they had just been through. "I don't expect you to. I hope you will come to, though, and . . . I'm going to need your help explaining this to her."

"Of course," she said and now it appeared there was nothing else to say, but Jack found himself wanting to distract her from the overwhelming grief she was most assuredly feeling.

"So, you're seventeen, right?" She nodded and he knew perfectly well that she _knew_ he was trying to sidetrack her, but she didn't comment. "And Lulu . . . ?"

Cam looked over at her little sister with warmth flickering in her lifeless eyes. "God, she's just a kid." She insisted again, as if trying to make sure he was listening, "Jack, she's just a kid. My God, she turned only turned fourteen a little less than a month ago, around the same time she earned her degree."

He just listened because that's what he thought she truly needed right then. Just for somebody to listen. "My middle name's Samantha, by the way. Her middle name's Kristy and her full name's Laurel. My mo- we always call her Lulu."

He didn't bother to tell her that Lulu very clearly reminded him of that.

A brief smile passed over her face. "I remember the rare times my mom called us by our full names, it's so strange. One time my mom called Lulu by her full name just to test it out or something, and she didn't even respond. That was a strange misunderstanding. It was just so unnatural for us. We had a good laugh about that," Cameron giggled. Jack in return smiled at her and when she realized what was happening, the emotion seeped out of her and all the warmth left her eyes.

"The corpses needs to be held thirty-six degrees Farenheit and kept in a sterile location, which I am assuming is not the case in this plane." Her explanation was so very monotone; he suspected that she used science to shield her real feelings. This was the first time he had heard her use the knowledge of her profession like that.

"We will fix that in Cardiff, but you are correct. But with these circumstances, it was the best we could do." Jack didn't understand how she was so easily talking about her mother like this, then he remember her career as a medical examiner. She was likely thoroughly desensitized to death, although this was her mother.

"Also, upon landing I need to contact my superiors and inform them of our whereabouts in regard to national security. The cases we have been presented within our careers would be compromised if we were to go off the radar unexpectedly."

Jack couldn't help but feel even more sorry for the girl. People coped in different ways but he had seen shutting down and hiding it destroy people, including himself. "All will be handled later, you don't need to worry about that currently. Right now, why don't you get some rest while I brief my team?"

With nothing more than a nod, Cameron returned to her seat with her sister and stared blankly at the ground. Currently he couldn't do anything for the two so he got up and headed to the back where Owen and Gwen worked with Tosh on the case.

"Okay, where are we at with this situation?" he said into his com so even Tosh could hear.

"The kidnapper's name was Jeremy Lida. He is known to the FBI and CIA for transporting goods throughout the U.S. No one has been able to catch the man nor has anyone been able to locate any shipments, therefore we don't know what contraband is being moved. Many assume it's drugs or weapons but after today's events I think he may have been moving alien technology," Tosh informed them, typing away at her computer. "I'm still looking into his motives."

"The idea of living forever to anyone is tempting and I know that millions of people would pay ungodly amounts for something that valuable," Jack began but was cut off by Gwen.

"Whoa, Jack, you owe us some explaining before we jump into this case headfirst." He had a sinking feeling about what she was preparing to throw in his face. "Owen told me that you think Cameron is your daughter. What about Lulu? Both girls take after you, Jack."

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. _Gee thanks, Owen_ , he thought, annoyed. "I don't know what explanation to give because truthfully I just learned about it myself. All I can tell you is that Jasmine once lived in Cardiff and nearly eighteen years ago, she and I had a fling."

"So is only Cameron your daughter? Because from what I see, they both are, which means you went back for seconds," Owen oh so helpfully pointed out.

The anger Jack had suppressed before was beginning to rear its ugly head once more but he tried to ignore it- the woman just died for God's sake. "I ran into her again a couple years later. She just never told me about our first child, Cam, and must have thought it unnecessary to contact me later and let me know about the second one either," he explained, also taking this moment to fill himself in on the blanks. "Cameron must have been around three then because she's seventeen now and Lulu just turned fourteen."

Gwen looked down at her shoes sadly. "So young."

"Well, Cameron isn't that young . . ." Owen exclaimed, looking at his lap, a sly smile coming over his face. "She sure doesn't act like it."

Jack eyes shot up to Owen and he scowled at him. Shameless as ever. Sighing, Jack said, "I will be in the main room if you need me. And Owen? Just . . . don't."

Jack walked into the main room and took a seat, watching his sleeping daughters. His mind reviewed, with much difficulty, everything that had happened in no more than a few hours. It was amazing how so much could change is such a short amount of time.


	12. Chapter 11: When Your Life's Blown Apart

**A/N: Sorry we didn't update yesterday! It was a busy day and I, Goldie, fell asleep before I remembered to update. . . . Sorry about that! Here it is, though, and it contains two different perspectives and a big reveal, so please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :)**

 **Warning: Profanity is a little more than usual because it's a very emotional argument.**

 **Chapter 11: When Your Life Is Blown Apart**

 **Cam's Perspective**

My eyes fluttered open as the wheels of the plane skidded across the ground. It was light outside. Lulu was resting her bloody head against my shoulder (I didn't care), eyes wide open. Her expression was blank and emotionless. I could sense her despair.

My mind couldn't fully wrap around the past twenty-four hours. In a night I had learned aliens existed, watched my little sister get kidnapped, I died, came back to life, met my father, got sliced in the neck, and watched my mother get murdered. I begged and begged for it to be nothing more than a dream but my prayers were in vain.

Jack walked up, saying solemnly, "It's time to go."

I nodded and turned to Lulu, nudging her head off of my shoulder. "It's time to get moving, sweetheart."

Getting up from my seat, I grabbed our duffel bags and waited for Lulu to make a move to get up but she just stayed frozen.

"Lulu, we need to go."

She scrunched up her nose, as if thinking it over. "No," she finally said. I dropped our duffel bags, a little frustrated.

"No?"

"Why should I go with you?" She finally turned her head to glare up at me. "Where are we? How can you just up and go with some strangers right after our mom . . . ?" She trailed off forlornly.

Jack gave me a look that said, 'We have to go _now_ ,' but Lulu wasn't budging. Gwen and Owen hovered awkwardly near the doorway. I knew perfectly well that they would need to . . . to bring the bodies out, so they were waiting for us to leave.

"Lulu, please, this is what's best for us," I pleaded with her. I _so_ was not in the mood for this right now, not with all that had happened.

"I don't _care_ ," she spat, scooting away from the both of us. "Go to hell. Just go, leave. I'll stay on the fucking jet." There was no arguing with her now.

Just then, I noticed a black SUV pull up outside and two people hop out, a pretty Asian woman and a very, very good-looking dark-haired man.

Jack turned to Gwen and Owen and told them quietly, "Go explain everything to Ianto and Tosh. I have this handled." He didn't need to tell them twice, they scurried away like a fire was lit under their asses.

Jack then leaned forward to whisper in my ear, "I think we should tell her."

Was he insane? Was he?! This was _so_ not the time, not after she was tortured for several hours and her mom was murdered right in front of her. "I don't think so," I replied, equally soft. "That is really not a good idea."

It was too late; Lulu was on to us. "What are you guys whispering about?" she demanded venomously. "What are you hiding from me?"

I brushed it off with, "Lulu, it's nothing," but Jack wasn't going to drop it. He knelt in front of her and took her hands inside of his own. _He can't do this, he can't do this_ , I thought furiously. "Jack, stop!"

"I'm not some baby, Cam, I can take it!" she shouted at me, a sheet of tears glimmering over her bright blue eyes, making them look even sharper. "I've been t-tortured, my mom's . . ." She couldn't bring herself to say it. "I can h-handle it!"

I knew Lulu was strong, so strong, but she was still only fourteen and my baby sister. There was no way in hell I was going to let this happen. "Jack, keep your mouth shut, got it? This not the time, this is not the fucking time."

"We can't go on not telling her!" Jack protested, standing up to his feet to loom over me. I remained undaunted.

"I'm not saying we _shouldn't_ , I'm just saying we shouldn't _now_!" God, why couldn't he understand this? One doesn't unload a huge secret on someone right after said someone's mother _just died_!

He bit his lip to keep his temper in check. "She won't leave the jet, Cameron, I don't know what else to do."

"Anything but _this_!" I was _so_ tempted into slapping some sense into the man.

"She-"

"STOP IT!" Utterly startled, we turned our attention to a fuming Lulu. Her bloody hands were balled up into fists. "Stop talking about me like I'm not even here! What are you not telling me?!"

Jack stepped over the damn line. Before I could stop him, he said, "I'm your father!"

 **Lulu's Perspective**

After I shouted at the two of them to tell me what they were hiding, I waited on baited breath for their reactions.

I didn't quite know what I was expecting, but it sure as hell wasn't what followed. Jack looked me dead in the eye and said calmly, "I'm your father!"

 _What. The. Fuck_?! I thought, absolutely astonished. _No, no, triple no. Just no._ _He did not just say that. HE DID NOT JUST SAY THAT_.

All I could do was stare at him blankly as the emotions raged inside of me. I didn't know what to think. There were so many thoughts, so many. . . .

I was tortured to the brink of death, my mom was murdered, I started it all by stealing the artifact, I was ripped from my home, my job, from my life, I didn't even think we were in America anymore. . . .

And _Jack._ I had no freaking idea what to think about _him_. He was a total stranger, one who had the nerve to boss me around, and _hell_ , I was attracted to the man! I shuddered and tried to purge myself of that last thought.

"I can't believe you!" Cam yelled at Jack, smacking him on the arm- _hard_. Then it occurred to me- if he was _my_. . . father, then he had to be hers because we looked so similar to him. The three of us shared the same black hair, same blue eyes. . . . She just hit her father.

"She had to know!" he growled back, struggling to keep his tone reasonably volumed.

Cam was _livid_ ; she looked like she wanted to smash into him with a car then reverse it, just for the sake of rolling over his mangled body. "I KNOW! But not _now_ , Jack, she didn't have to know _now_!"

They didn't seem to notice that I hadn't said anything- I was fairly sure I temporarily lost the ability to speak. "I don't know what you want me to say, Cameron, there was no good time for this!"

She outright socked him on the shoulder and he looked quite pissed off in result, but she couldn't care less. "There actually _could_ have been an okay time for this! But you know what?! IT'S NOT RIGHT NOW! Not after our mom _died_!"

Their argument was traveling in circles and all I could do was watch in a blind daze, hiding away in the military coat I vaguely remembered Jack draping across my shoulders.

See, not only was I very obviously in a poor mental state, but it wasn't like I had a mild temper, so . . . I lost it. "WILL YOU BOTH JUST SHUT UP?! JUST SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP!"

I couldn't look at the either of them so I stormed out of the jet, feeling all the eyes of Jack's little flunkies on me. The ones I hadn't met seemed taken aback by the amount of blood on me, so I snapped, "Take a picture, it'll last longer!"

I went and leaned against the back of the SUV, away from the others, tears rolling down my cheeks. My brain was too overwhelmed to think, all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and die. I wanted this past night to be nothing but a horrible, horrible dream. But it was daytime now. The night had been real, my life was shredded into a million tiny pieces.

Jack and Cam came barreling down the stairs, _still arguing_. It looked pretty intense. They stopped for a moment and then out of the blue Cameron slapped him so hard that his head jerked sideways, soap opera-style.

I peaked out from the back of the SUV and gaped at the scene. Jack just stayed frozen with his hand trailing his now reddened cheek. Even his little bitches stared like Cam had just done the impossible.

"Go to hell!" she screamed before marching over to me. She looked incensed but sadness still lingered in her eyes. She would never admit it but she was in just as much pain as I was.

Without saying a single word she came over to me and embraced me. I was stunned at first but after a few seconds I relaxed and welcomed something I knew well.

Her eyes were watery as she lowered slightly to my level, caringly brushing the tears off my cheeks. "I am so sorry, baby, I'm so sorry. I didn't want him to tell you yet, this isn't the _time_ -" She cut herself off as her tone grew too clipped and angry again.

I couldn't find it in me to say anything so she wound her arm tightly around my shoulders and began to lead me away. Away from the SUV and Jack and all my problems, into a big, empty parking lot leading to the unknown. We had nowhere to go, nowhere to run off to. "W-where are we going?" I whimpered.

"We're leaving," she said curtly and I creased my brow in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

She was gradually losing it. "It's not good for us here, baby. We need to _leave_. We'll be _fine_ , just you and me, kid." That sounded pretty good right now, I had to admit.

Owen's voice rang out behind us, "Wait, girls, where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Anywhere but here," Cam said rather harshly, pushing me in front of her to shield me before turning around. She reached back and gripped my shoulders as if to assure herself I was still here.

"Don't be ridiculous, you don't even know where you are or how to get around. Let's go," he argued, a little irritated.

Now it was my turn to shine. "We have doctorates, I _think_ we'll be fine! Don't worry your pretty little head about it," I sneered, turning back around to level my pace with Cam's brisk one.

Before Owen could piss us off more the small Asian woman ran over to us and we grudgingly paused in our tracks. "Hello, girls," she said with a small, sweet smile.

"Who're you?" I demanded once we turned around yet again. "One of _his_ ," I pointed wildly at a still shocked Jack, "flunkies?"

"I'm not owned by anyone, last time I checked." I dipped my head in respect; she shut me down with class. "My name is Toshiko Sato, I am a computer scientist. I would like to help you girls get cleaned up and give you a place to stay and wash up until we can figure some things out. I get you have no reason to trust us, but you've both been through so much and I just want to help. I'm so sorry for both your loss."

"As long as we're not anywhere near _him_." Cam jerked her head in Jack's direction and Toshiko nodded understandably.

"I understand how difficult it must be to be around him, considering you just discovered that he's your father." She even sounded a little surprised saying it; she must have just found out.

And _no_ , I was not ready to accept that the man was my . . . father. How could I? After everything that just happened, how could I? I just couldn't fathom it.

"That's not the problem!" Cam exclaimed in a voice that was dangerously close to a shout. "My problem is that he just overstepped _astronomically_!"

"This is hard for him, too, you have to realize that," she replied after taking a moment to choose her words carefully.

"Did his mom just get murdered?" I asked of her bitterly and her face fell.

"I'm deeply sorry for your loss." I just nodded briefly; there was no good response to that. "Please come back with us," she pleaded and I found myself beginning to cave. "You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to and we'll work it all out."

I was about to agree but Cam interrupted me by inquiring, "Who _are_ you people, really?"

"We're called . . . Torchwood. We're a secret organization that works with aliens and alien technology." Well, that explained why they had showed up- they must have been after the artifact. "I can explain that to you all later, if you'd like. Maybe you'd like to come to my flat and clean up a little." She eyed me up and down. "That must be uncomfortable."

"Not as uncomfortable as being tortured for a couple hours," I muttered under my breath but I could tell she caught it from her sharp intake of breath.

Cam finally relented as well. "I guess we could wash up some. Just as long as we don't have to talk to Jack."

She nodded earnestly. "Deal, I'll talk to him about that."

"Good," Cam said in response, and with that, the two of us gravely followed her back to the SUV.

Jack tried to say something to the both of us but Cam cut him off with, "I don't want to talk to you, got it? Good." We climbed into the SUV after Toshiko whispered a recap of our conversation into Jack's ear and the entire group of us struggled to make room; Owen and the hot brunette man had to use the floor as makeshift seats.

Jack's military coat was still wrapped around me, and however confused and angry I was, I still couldn't find it in me to take it off. The last night had been absolute hell and I didn't want to think about that.

So, I thought about something else instead. I had a father now . . . I had a dad.


	13. Chapter 12: The Aftershocks

**A/N: Hey, everyone! This chapter is a bit angst-y but also has some much needed bonding at the end. Now, I, Goldie, have JV basketball tryouts tomorrow morning and Monday afternoon so if you read this note, wish me luck! (Even if it's a mental message!) Anyway, please read, review, and enjoy! :)**

 **Chapter 12: The Aftershocks**

 **Jack's Perspective**

Jack gave his employees the rest of the day off. It was the least he could do, considering what Owen and Gwen had to do for him and how rudely the girls were acting to everyone but Tosh.

Ah, Tosh. They were currently in her apartment living room as Lulu finally got to take a shower in her bathroom. Cam (with Tosh's permission) was rummaging through her cabinets as an excuse just not to talk to Jack.

His cheek had stung for far longer than he would have expected. She packed quite a slap on her. And that was where he was conflicted.

See, he understood that he went too far when he spilled the truth to Lulu, but it had to be done. And he also understood how devastated they were after their mother's death.

But, there was also a factor that he couldn't ignore. His _own daughter_ slapped him across the face, her _father_. Yes, he knew perfectly well that she had only just discovered him to be her father, but still, he couldn't quite let go of such an extreme case of disrespect.

Tosh was quietly murmuring in his ear for him to just forget about it, but he found himself to be more and more unwilling to do so until he finally got to her feet and positioned himself in the doorway of Tosh's kitchen. "Cameron."

Her back stiffened up like a board but she didn't turn around to look at him. "I don't want to talk to you." Then she resumed her search for the perfect snack.

Jack could have just let it go, just chocked it up to her grief, but that wasn't how he functioned. Dammit, this was his _seventeen_ -year-old daughter. He made long and purposeful steps over to her until he stood right next to her. "Well, that's just too bad because I'm going to be talking to you."

Cam ground her teeth together furiously and moved as if to shove him backwards but he grabbed her wrists before she could. She looked about ready to spit in his eye. "I let your slap from earlier slide, but no more. You got that? I'm not going to be letting any more of those go."

She struggled beneath his iron grip. "Let me go, dammit, let me go!" He dropped her wrists and, with disgust, she rubbed at them. Then she sneered at him, "You won't let anymore go? Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it? Hit me back? Huh? You gonna hit me back, Jack?"

Before he could answer, a wet-haired Lulu stood in the doorway of the kitchen, her bright blue eyes flickering between the two of them. "What's going on?"

Lulu looked so much different without the blood. She was wearing some clothes Cam had packed for her. Her hair wasn't caked with red anymore, it was jet-black and straight. Her skin was now clear, ghostly pale, and nearly fluorescent. She really was a beautiful young girl.

"Jack's threatening me," Cameron spat and Jack rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Great, she was going to play it like that? She would soon learn that he was not a man to be tested.

"Leave her alone," Lulu growled and it was really occurring to him then how truly difficult it would be to parent the two of them when he hadn't been there during their young childhood.

He sucked in a deep breath and pondered over the best words to say. "I wasn't threatening you, Cameron. I really just need you two to talk to me. This is going to be a very hard time in your lives and we need to figure things out. We can't just ignore everything that has happened no matter how painful it is. Your mom died, it happened, it's sad, it's awful, but we have priorities," Jack said with barely concealed annoyance.

Now they looked like he had just slapped _them_ and he immediately regretted the bluntness and insensitivity of his lecture. He should have considered their fragile emotional states. Their mom just _died_ but Jack was too desensitized to death to realize until after how much his words hurt.

"Just . . . shut up, jackass!" Cameron yelled, her features more pained than angry. Jack saw the look in her eye showing she was seriously considering slapping him again so instead of causing another argument, he went and stood by the couch near Tosh.

Tosh regarded him with sympathy. "That wasn't the kindest thing to say, Jack." Like she needed to tell him.

The girls exited the kitchen with a vicious aura about them. "Don't worry, Toshiko, we're just seeing Jack's true colors," Lulu snarled and Cameron nodded vehemently.

"Would you girls stop? I'm trying to be helpful and you guys are shooting me down every chance I get," Jack sighed, running his hands through his hair.

"Well, you're going about it _very_ badly!" Cameron pointed out furiously. "I told you that we need to wait to tell Lulu about everything, but you take it upon yourself to completely ignore me! _I_ know my sister! I do! Not you!"

He lost his temper, his cool . . . he blew up. "And whose fault is that? Your mother's! Your mother was the one who didn't tell me about your existences!"

He could sense Tosh's disappointment without even looking at her. His daughters' mouths were ajar as they fully processed what he had just said and he so desperately wished it hadn't burst out.

And then something happened that he never would have expected based on what he had seen so far. He figured Lulu would rage all over him, but . . . no.

Lulu's lips began to quiver and within mere seconds, tears flooded her eyes and she broke into sobs. His heart broke into a million pieces as she gave into her grief.

He attempted to rectify, "Laurel, I'm sor-"

"Leave me alone," she cried, running from the room into the hall. A door slammed, making them all jump. He lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Cameron just stood in shock. She appeared to be holding back tears as well, sending another stab of guilt through him. "You're sick! You don't want to help us, you just want to hurt us!" she shouted and hurt coursed through him. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "I can't do this," she whispered before throwing open the front door and running out.

Jack had already failed as a parent and he hadn't even been one an entire day. His first priority was Lulu. He was certain Cameron could handle herself because she had a good head on her shoulders, but it was really Lulu's brokenness that drew him to her. He had to fix this.

It turned out the door that slammed earlier was the bathroom door. The shower was running and he felt the sweltering steam mist through the door. He knocked softly and called, "Lulu- _Laurel_ , can we talk about this? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I'm in the wrong."

She didn't respond and he grew worried for her. "Laurel, are you okay in there?" Still no answer. He finally twisted the doorknob and found it to be unlocked, like she wanted somebody to go looking for her.

If his heart wasn't broken before, then the sight before him crumpled it into a mound of dust. There was his young daughter sitting in the running shower, fully clothed, letting the water soak through her clothes. Her tears became one with the stream of water.

At first he just froze, unsure of what to do. But his legs carried him over to her and he kneeled by the shower, ignoring the spray of water that steadily dampened him. He patiently waited for her to talk, if she wanted to, but she was crying too hard to speak.

After a few more moments of this, he asked, "Laurel, what's going on right now? I'm sorry for what I said. Is this because of me? Did I upset you enough to . . . ?" He trailed off.

Slowly but surely, she shook her head. She managed to choke out, "I-I c-came in here b-because of what y-you said b-but then I looked into the mirror a-and I k-kept seeing the blood."

He knit his eyebrows together. She was completely clean now, all the blood was washed away. What was she talking about? She continued, "I k-kept feeling the knife and t-the blood a-and when Mom was b-b-bleeding out, it w-was all over my h-h-hands. I c-can't get the blood off." She scrubbed savagely at her arms and he captured her wrists in a vice grip so she wouldn't hurt herself.

"I-I c-can't get the blood off. T-there's so much blood. . . ." She finally collapsed into her sobs and as gently as he could, he picked her up and lifted her out of the shower, ignoring the fact that she was dripping wet. The poor girl was shaking violently.

She was becoming hysterical and he rubbed at her back to calm her as he leaned back against the shower door. His hair was plastered against his head and Tosh's bathroom floor was wet and slippery.

"I've got you," he crooned over and over again. "You're safe now. Nobody's going to hurt you again."

"T-they already have," she sobbed into his shoulder. He cupped the back of her head and stroked her hair. Jack had been tortured before. He knew the after effects.

"I know they have. I know. And I know what it feels like to be hurt like that. I can help you."

"Mom and C-Cam are all I have," she whimpered, looking up at him with her soulful baby blue eyes. "And Mom's _gone_ now. She's never coming back!" She had to steady her uncontrollably quick breaths before she could progress. "They were all I had and now . . ." Her voice sounded so small. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

He didn't have an answer for her that would fix everything, because there was nothing he could say that could fix it. But he tried to do the next best thing. He said consolingly, "You have me now. I'll help you through this. Your mom may be gone, but I'm not going anywhere."


	14. Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots!

**A/N: WE'RE SO SORRY. We're oozing with sorriness. Like, we look like Spongebob with pores gushing of sorriness. This was such a late update for us! Our only excuse is that schoolwork is piling up as we approach first semester finals, but we still should have updated sooner. This story will soon merge into the first season of Torchwood, starting with the episode "Day One." This chapter, though, has some much-needed Jack/Cam bonding. Also, thanks sooo much for the reads, follows, and favorites and a special thanks to Twinkitty2 for being our third reviewer! You guys are the absolute best! Anyway, please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :)**

 **Warning: More profanity than usual because Cameron is drunk. Oh, right, and underage drinking. We're underage as well and we definitely do _not_ condone it, but it's needed for the plot.**

 **P.S. Happy holidays everyone! We hope you have a fantastic time! :D**

 **Chapter 13: Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots, Shots!**

 **Cam's Perspective**

 **Rain began to patter down and slowly the streets of Cardiff became a barren land with only the sound of raindrops pounding on the pavement. After I had left Toshiko's place all I did was run, as if I ran fast enough I could escape the pain and grief that threatened to overcome me. I didn't run fast enough.**

Resting on an old park swing, I sat and let my emotions go. I cried. All I wanted was relief from my constant companion of worry and fear, but that was apparently too much to ask for.

I cried for the loss of my mother, the suffering of my sister, dying and coming back to life, and for an unknown future.

When my tears ran dry, I just gently swung on the swing and recollected on my life. I remembered when Lulu and I were young and the highly uncommon occasions our mother brought us to the park. We came so rarely between our studies and our mother's work. We never got to just be kids, we were always the odd ones out. Lulu and I never stayed in the same place for more than six months. Our lives were in a constant state of growing and changing until we received our established jobs. By then we were too old to play.

Our mother was an amazing mother for what she had to deal with. She paid for all our extra schooling by any means necessary. She kept us fed, gave us a home, loved us. I never thanked her for everything. I never told her how much I appreciated everything she sacrificed for the two of us. Now she would never know.

I wasn't good at letting myself grieve the way I should and even now I couldn't bear to let myself continue on this sad road to misery. I stood up and found my way to the nearest shopping center. Yeah, I had plans. Tonight I was gonna lose myself.

In the department store, I grabbed a pair of skinny jeans, high heels, and a crop top with a jean jacket. I paid for it with my company credit card before heading to the nearest bar.

I found myself at more of a club setting. The bouncer didn't look at me twice when I entered and I was grateful not to have to deal with getting kicked out.

I plopped myself down at the bar and slapped my open palm down on the counter to gain the bartender's attention. "One whiskey shot, please. Open tab." I wasn't in the mood to fool around with some fruity little drinks. He didn't blink an eye as he poured me my drink because I think he knew that, too.

I gulped it down and reveled in the fire that burned at my throat. I needed this. "I'll have another."

As I waited for my shot, a handsome fair-haired man sat himself down next to me. He was young, yes, but still a good few years older than I. Early twenties, maybe. He had playful, warm brown eyes that watched me carefully. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of earning my attention but I finally couldn't stand it anymore and turned to look at him.

"Need something?" I asked pleasantly. The bartender pushed my shot toward me and I downed it quickly, slamming the glass back down on the counter.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He sounded so eager saying that that I couldn't find it in my to deny him the opportunity.

"Vodka shot."

His eyebrows rose to his hairline. "No martinis or cocktails? Just straight up vodka? Tough girl, are we?"

I scooted off my seat and leaned in close to him teasingly, feeling his warm breath pelt softly against my face. "You have," I bit my lip seductively, " _no_ idea."

He ordered the drink _real_ fast and then wiped his now sweaty hands on his jeans. "So, uh, what's your name?"

"Cameron." I smiled slightly at him and he smiled back. "But you can call me Cam." The drink was dropped down in front of me and I gulped it down.

"Well, my name's Drake," he told me even though I didn't ask. "What's a fine young woman like you drinking alone? You aren't from around here, are you? You sound American."

I grinned at him again. "Well, you'll have to buy me another drink to find out." Yeah, I wasn't exactly a lightweight. The buzz was just starting to kick in _hard_.

Drake obliged and we shared a little more flirty banter before heading to the dance floor. There I had many men willing to dance and after being at the bar less than an hour I had basically forgotten about everything else in my life and just lived for the now.

"I'm gonna go get another drink," I giggled in a drunken slur. Walking over to the bar, I ordered another Vodka shot when a different young man caught my eye. I could only see his back, but he still had a mysterious aura about him.

I took a quick swig of my shot before walking behind him and whispering in his ear, "Hey there, handsome. I couldn't help but notice you were sitting here by your lonesome."

He straightened his posture before turning around. When we came face to face, both our jaws dropped.

Recovering first, Owen, the man who worked for Jack said, "Cameron? What are you doing here? I thought you were with Jack."

Without saying a word I turned away and attempted to walk back to Drake but he gripped my wrist to stop me. I was not in the mood for his shit and the alcohol was _not_ helping. Before I could retort with some choice words that weren't particularly lady-like, a thought crossed my mind. _Jack would definitely not appreciate his daughter in bed with his lacky._ Deciding my plan was a rather good one, I started my attack.

I turned and closed the distance between us until I was a mere inch from his face. I smiled and simpered, "I was with him, but then I thought of something more fun to do. And seems like fate has chosen I have fun with _you_."

"Aren't you too young to be in a bar?" he questioned hesitantly, attempting to back away from me slightly. _Bitch, please._

"Cutie, when you have a body like this and a little confidence in your step, you never get carded." Before he could start complaining, I took his hand and dragged him to the counter. "Now buy me a drink and maybe I will tell you all my dirty little secrets. Martini, please, not too dry. Stirred, not shaken. Extra olives." I know earlier I said that I wasn't that kind of girl to order such "soft" drinks, but I was pounding down so many shots that I needed to cool off a little. Even my drunken ass knew that.

He followed me without too much of a struggle and still bought me the drink. He looked afraid to say a word to me and it was rather entertaining to watch him squirm. I slowly and deliberately sipped at my drink and ate the olives off the toothpick, smirking as I did so.

After a minute, I laughed, "You do realize I don't bite, right?" I paused and said mischievously, "Well, not in public at least." I bit off the last olive seductively and flicked the toothpick away.

That earned me a hearty laugh and finally a few words. "So . . . Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I'm the first guy you have flirted with."

A sly smile came over my lips as I gulped down my martini. _Yum, maybe I should have those more often. Shots are good and all, but this flavor is downright delicious. Bless the person who invented martinis._ "Nope, but flirting is only half the game. Anyway, what is a smart man like you doing working for a man like Jack?"

Owen shrugged awkwardly like he wasn't sure how to answer that question properly. "You don't know him as well as I do."

I rolled my eyes and toyed with the now empty martini glass. "I've seen enough and I ain't looking to find out much more." He looked at me with something akin to pity. I inwardly fumed.

"Give the man a chance. A lot's happened in the last few hours and-"

"Don't you think I know that? My mom's dead. My life'll never be the same. Trust me, a lot's changed for him but a whole hell of a lot more's changed for us." My words were slurred to the point where they were nearly unrecognizable, but I think he got the gist of it.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I know how you feel." Oh what did _he_ know? Scowling, I drummed my knuckles onto the counter and waited for the bartender to return to me.

"Hi, mister sir, I would like another shot of vodka." I bounced up and down expectantly but he just eyed me with doubt.

"I think you've had a drink or two too many." _Say what?_ It wasn't his place to say something! It was his goddamn job to serve people drinks! I was only giving him good business!

Owen nudged me gently in the side. "Yeah, Cameron, maybe I should take you back to Jack-"

And he just _had_ to mention Jack. "Uh, no! What the in flying hell does Jack have to do with _any_ of this? Jesus Christ, Owen, get with the program!" Scoffing out of disgust, I adjusted my attention back to the bartender. "I would like a shot of vodka, please. Pretty please? Pretty please with a dose of vermouth on top?" I snickered to myself, enjoying my little twist on the classic saying.

When the bartender _still_ looked dubious, I growled, "Give me the damn drink. My mother was fucking murdered last night and I need to get fucking wasted. Will you give me the drink or am I gonna have to take my business somewhere else?" I was shouting at this point and garnering some unwanted attention.

The bartender then RUDELY ignored me and said only to Owen, "You friends with her? I think you better take her home."

This added unneeded gasoline to the fire already burning up a storm inside me. "Oh no, no, no! I ain't friends with this guy! All I wanted was to have a quick, meaningless screw while being so drunk I wouldn't remember it in the morning! Is that _really_ too much to ask for?"

Great, now half the bar was watching my every move. I guess I was so wasted that my volume control fizzled out. Owen pleaded, getting up off the bar stool, "Cam, let me take you-"

"No, _no!_ " I batted my hands around like there were a bunch of invisible mosquitoes swooping in for the attack. "Leave me alone!"

Owen reached forward to capture my wrist and I lost it. "Get off me, get off me! _Rape!_ " He lifted up his hands like a gun was pointed right at his head. "You _pervert!_ "

When all eyes fell upon him, he stammered out, "No, no, that's not what I was doing, I swear. . . ."

The bartender murmured softly, "We all know that, man. You're not doing anything wrong." The people around us nodded their heads sagely.

Did I say I lost it before? Well, now I _really_ flipped a switch. "Fuck you both! Fuck this bar! You know what, let me one up that. _Fuck my life!_ "

With that little eloquent speech out of my system, I stumbled through the now stagnant dance floor in search of the front door. The bartender shouted after me, "Hey, little lady, you have a bill to pay!"

I heard Owen faintly mutter that he had it covered. _Good, that asshole should pay for my drinks. Who does he think he is, refusing me another drink like I'm some sort of alcoholic?!_

I stepped out of the bar and was immediately pelted in the face by a crisp, freezing breeze. "Fuck this _breeze_ ," I grumbled under my breath, walking unsteadily along the sidewalk. You know what wasn't fun? Being smashed in a pair of five-inch heels. One hundred percent _do not recommend_.

"Cameron, wait!" Oh come on, just when I thought I was rid of the little buggar he found his way back to me.

I didn't slow my pace- though it was _already_ the equivalent of a speedy snail. "No, leave me alone! I hate you! You- you drink-refusing . . . jackass!" And no, I was not proud of that insult. Alcohol really does take away one's ability to form coherent comebacks.

"This is not in my job description," I heard him complain.

"You don't have to _babysit_ me!" I yelled over my shoulder in his general direction. The world was pretty topsy-turvy at the moment. "I've seventeen! I work for the FBI, I'm a _doctor_ -"

He grabbed me by the crook of my elbow and spun me around and I nearly toppled over in the process. "Well, you sure as hell aren't acting like it."

I blinked, my clouded mind struggling to process that snub. "Are you- are you _judging_ me? You have no damn right to judge me! You don't know _me_ , you don't know my _life!_ "

Vaguely, I was aware of a black SUV pull up alongside me. _Whoa, whoa, whoa_. I racked my drunken brain, _Who do I know who has a black SUV . . . OH SON OF A BITCH!_

I was spittin' furious and I shrieked at Owen, "You called Jack! When did you do _that?_ And what the hell is wrong with you?"

Owen was obnoxiously unrepentant. _Jerk, he should be overflowing with apologies right about now._ "I texted him when you were drinking the martini." _No wonder that bastard wasn't talking. He was too busy being a TRAITOR._

Jack hopped out of the driver seat of his SUV and leaned against the door with a stern expression residing on his face. _Oh fuck this._ "You know what," I wagged my finger at him, "no. No, no, no, no, no. Just _no_. I am _so_ not doing this right now."

My words hanging harshly in the frigid air, I, with as much dignity as I had left, turned around and stormed the other way. Owen briefed Jack on what happened in the bar, and then Jack told Owen, "Thanks, Owen, but I've got it from here."

M'kay, so that meant he wasn't going to leave me alone. Just fan-fucking-tastic. "Cameron, slow down. There's a bench right here. Let's sit down and talk about this."

Did I look like I was in a chatty mood? _Hell to the no!_ I skidded in my tracks and turned around, but only to counter, "You're not the boss of me, Jack, I don't want to talk to you!"

His nostrils flared and his blue eyes blazed. "You're acting like a petulant child not getting her way."

"I can act like however I'd like 'cause I'm an independent person!" I smiled smugly at him. _Put in your pipe and smoke it._

"Actually, you are still a minor so you don't have much choice. I am still your biological father. Now sit down before you fall over," he commanded. I would have ignored his wishes but I was seriously about to puke or pass out. Possibly both, so I just huffed and sat down.

"Thank you," he said, taking a seat next to me. I looked at him and I could tell he was awfully tired. Didn't mean I cared, but then it occurred to me who I left with him and a pang of guilt hit me. I abandoned my baby sister.

As if the universe decided to punish me, without any warning, nausea churned in my stomach, so I raced to the nearest trash can and puked my guts out. I could feel Jack holding my hair and gently rubbing my back. It almost made me not hate him. Almost.

When I finished he guided me over to the bench and sat down next to me again, so he could make eye contact with me.

He simply said, "I'm sorry."

I was taken back by his simple words. It honestly was the last thing I would have expected Jack to say. He seemed like a man who hid from words like that. Most men of mystery like himself did.

"You have my attention," I whispered. Not being ready to give him the satisfaction of forgiveness I just prepared myself to listen to what he had to say.

"Cameron, I know I haven't gone about our meeting the right way and it was also not the best situation, I get that, but you need to understand I am new to this too. All this ignoring and fighting has gotten us nowhere. So, I have a proposition for you. Let's start over, I'm not saying you have to trust me or let me into your life or forget about what you lost. I am simply asking you to know who I really am, not the man you associate with the murder of your mother." He was being brutally honest and I liked that.

I took a deep breath and considered his words before I let my drunken mind blurt out something I would regret. Truly, I didn't want to give in, I wanted to protest his words and break away, but at the same time I was curious to know my father.

My body began to quiver uncontrollably and salty tears flooded my eyes. I cried into my hands. Between his words and my hazy mind, all the walls I had built up to try to lock my emotions away came crashing down and left me with the feeling of my heart being ripped in two.

"Why her, Jack? My entire life it was just her, me, and Lulu. We were the three musketeers! Why did she have to die? Why?" I sobbed. Without even looking up, I let myself be pulled against him.

He squeezed me tight as he whispered, "I don't know, sweetheart, sometimes the universe is cruel. You're strong, so is Lulu. You both will get through this. I know you can."

"God, I'm a horrible sister. I left Lulu all alone and she was devastated. I can't do anything right!" My words were a dark mixture of anger and sadness. Once my need to run away from everything was ebbing away, I felt terrible for leaving my baby sister in a new place all alone right after the death of our mother.

Taking my face in both his hands, he lifted my face so my eyes aligned with his. He spoke softly, "Cameron, you are only human. Your sister is fine, I took care of her. No one expects you to forget about what you went through just for your sister. That's why, if you'll let me, I would like to help you both through this."

Encouraged by my a faint nod, Jack again pulled me into his arms and I sank into his hold.

I just cried and cried on that bench, in the middle of the night, for what could have been five minutes, ten minutes, an hour, two . . . The last thing I remember hearing before slipping into a fitful sleep was, "Everything's going to be okay."


	15. Chapter 14: Tensions Running High

**A/N: If you want to throw rocks at us, we will gladly receive them. Throw any necessary projectiles, 'cause . . . WE ARE SOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOORRRRRRRYYYYYY! Four months. We did NOT mean to take this long to update. Omigawrd, we suck. Just . . . ugh, we know. All we can say is real life can be a real bitch, and it's been hard to juggle all our stories. We'll definitely try to update this one faster, and please accept our deepest apologies!**

 **To try and make up for that, this chapter is extra long, probably one of (if not the) longest one in the story. Hopefully, you'll find it entertaining. It's kind of a filler chapter, but there's quite a bit of action (you'll understand when you see it) and it's paving the way for the plot. Also, I (Goldie) am only first-year French student, so I apologize if the French in this chapter is not entirely accurate.**

 **For anybody who's still sticking with this story, you rock, and thank you so much! Please read, review, and enjoy! Thanks so much! :D**

 **Chapter 14: Tensions Running High**

 **Lulu's Perspective**

 _Thud-thud, thud-thud, thud-thud._ Jack's steady heartbeat lulled me into a light slumber as my tears dried out. I was morbidly embarrassed to have created such a scene but it was too late to rectify now.

Vaguely, like it was happening in a whole different world, I felt Jack wrap a dry towel around me and carry me over to the nearest guest bedroom and lay me down on the bed. He sat there by my side, and I found myself believing what he had told me- he was going to be there for my sister and I.

 _Cam_. Suddenly, I was wide-awake and I bolted up, surprising Jack. "Jack, where did Cam go? Is she okay?"

He seemed highly reluctant to answer. "She ran off earlier. I was hoping you'd have an idea what her next choice of action would be."

 _Hmmm . . ._ I pondered it over, reflecting the complicated enigma that was my older sister. I wanted to worry but I knew I could only help by remaining objective, like the scientist I was. "Um, well, she can be a little unpredictable but if anyone would know, it'd be me. I was always the one covering for her and she snuck off somewhere." The memories brought a smile to my face, but the grief set in next and the smile melted away. "She probably ran off somewhere to cry about everything because she doesn't like to be around people when she feels particularly sad. So, she most likely went somewhere abandoned or at the very least peaceful. Probably close, because she wouldn't want to be _too_ far away from me."

Jack absorbed everything and came to the conclusion, "So, you think she may have ran off to the nearest park or something?"

That was a good guess but I knew it wasn't correct. At least not at the moment. "Yeah, at first at least. I don't know anything about Cardiff, but that sounds like a good bet."

Jack moved to stand up, then paused. He must have caught on to my word choice. "At first? Where do you think she is now, then?"

Ah, the trickier question. Well, not difficult in the way that it would be a struggle for me to search for the right answer, but tricky in the way that I really did not feel the urge to tell him. "Yes, well, that's where it gets a little complicated."

He raised an eyebrow and sat back, evidently not taking any bullshit from me. "Yeah, well- _enlighten_ me."

 _Here goes._ "Well, if my predictions are correct and they usually are, then I can accurately say that right about now she's at some pub getting wasted and/or hooking up with a random dude for a one-night stand." See, it wasn't as easy to say as "she's probably crying in a park."

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger like a particularly nasty migraine was ensuing. "Great. That's just . . . great."

"You asked, I delivered," I said casually. Cam sleeping with random strangers was no secret to me, it was her ultimate stress-reliever after all.

"So, I'm guessing she's not a stranger to the bedroom?" _Duh._ Lovely, the incoming parental probes for information. I wished I could say we didn't have anything to lie about- but that would be a lie, and basically defeated the purpose.

I mentally weighed my options- tell the truth now and let Cam deal with it later, or take some of the heat off now. _Hmm . . ._ I decided to be a good samaritan and deal with it now. "Yeah . . . no."

He wisely kept his expression as impassive as possible so I couldn't tell if that bothered him or not. Even if he did, there wasn't anything he could do about it. "Okay, then. Does she drink a lot?"

That one I was happy to reply with a resounding, "Not too much." Sure, it would have been easier to just say "no" but I was on a truthful streak and didn't quite want to ruin it. "Only to wind down, sometimes. In America the legal age is twenty-one but it doesn't really matter if she drinks here because the legal age is eighteen, right? Right." That was a habit of mine I couldn't kick: asking questions I already knew the answer to and then proceeding to answer my own question before anybody else could chime in. It was a pride thing- I _really_ liked being right.

A muscle in his jaw visibly clenched and he shook his head. "No, she's not going to be drinking here under my watch when she's seventeen. It's obvious she can't handle it if she pulls stunts like this."

I shrugged; he was probably right, and I was too tired to care all that much. Before either of us could say anything else, his cell phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket, a shadow moving across the creases of his face as he read the text message. "Owen found her. She's at a pub, making a scene."

I had to suppress down a little victory cry- oh how I loved being right. Cam was typically even-tempered (I was considered the hothead of our family), but boy, did she know how to draw attention to herself. "You should probably go after her. I'll go with you."

He almost instantly denied, "No, it's probably better if I just go myself. You need your rest. It's been a taxing time for you."

He didn't need to encourage me further. I lay my head back down on the soft, feathery pillow and shut my eyes. "Good luck dealing with her. It won't be easy."

"I think I'll be okay." I smirked as he exited the guest room. Oh how wrong he was. There was the distinct sound of the front door opening and closing and that was my cue to leave the guest room. I wanted to sleep, believe me, but there were more pressing matters. So, I wrapped the towel around my shoulders and set off.

Toshiko was sitting at her living room couch, sipping at a glass of red wine. She looked exhausted and guilt immediately set in. "Toshiko?"

She glanced up. "Call me Tosh, and Jack just left. Were you looking for him? Do you want me to get you dry clothes?"

"No, no, I'm okay." I smiled weakly but she wasn't buying it. "Honest . . . Tosh. I actually came here to talk to you."

Her dainty eyebrows creased together and she tilted her head slightly. "What do you want to talk about?" She patted the seat next to her.

Throwing the towel below me as to not ruin the fabric of the couch, I sat down and wrung my hands together. "It's something you mentioned earlier. It peeked my interest." She nodded encouragingly for me to continue. "Torchwood."

Her posture stiffened and she grew guarded. ". . . What would you like to know about that?"

I narrowed my eyes. Why was she so reluctant? I pressed on anyway, "The general gist of it, I suppose. The reason I was targeted was because of an alien artifact. It came from the John Doe, Cam, and I examined."

"The John Doe's name was Gregory Munch," Tosh pointed out helpfully.

"Right, Munch. Anyway, my kidnapper, the man who . . ." I didn't need to finish for her to understand me: _the man who murdered my mother_.

"His name was Jeremy Lida," she said ever so softly. I didn't quite know how to handle that information. It soothed me for a strange reason that my mom's murderer now had a name, yet also allowed a clearer target for all my incandescent rage.

I bit my lip before responding, reflecting on it all. "Okay, Jeremy Lida. Lida knew the John Doe- _Munch_ had it but didn't know how to use it, offed him, and pulled strings to ensure whoever was looking over the body and possessions would be intelligent enough to figure it out. That was why the case escalated all the way up to the F.B.I. when it very well could've been handled by the P.D. I guess he'd been watching Cam and I for a while and came to the conclusion we could figure the artifact out. I did, but it came with the ultimate price."

Toshiko dipped her head as a sign of respect for the terrible chain of events that led to my world being ripped apart- all because of one stupid little artifact, and me. If I hadn't screwed around with it, my mom would still be alive. "Anyway, you don't need the summary. What I want to know is why Jack, Owen, and Gwen visited in the first place. If I'd hazard a guess, it would be because of Munch's death. If Munch had _that_ artifact, then I'm sure there were more. Which is why when on the way to the jet, they searched his hotel room." When her eyebrows rose in surprise, I downplayed it with, "I'm a lighter sleeper than most people give me credit for.

"Anyway, most likely the trio came to America for Munch's death and other artifacts, but somehow tracked down this particular one which led them to us. I highly doubt Jack knew we were his daughters, or else we would have had at least a little contact with him." I shook my head confidently. "No, my mom must have told him when he arrived. He was led to us because of one astronomical coincidence."

Tosh grabbed my hand in hers, and I didn't jerk away, however much I wanted to. "So, maybe the artifact wasn't all bad if it led your father into your life?" She sounded hopeful.

Deadpan, I shut her down with, "My mom's dead because of it. Nothing good came out of it. End of story." Her face fell, crestfallen, but I didn't care.

"But that's not what I'm here to talk to you about. This is about Torchwood. I presume Torchwood deals with alien artifacts, then?" I stressed, "Is that all? Is there anything more I should know?"

She squirmed around but I fixed her with a no-nonsense glare so she finally caved with, "We protect the world from aliens, mainly."

 _Ah._ That didn't surprise me; if they dealt with the alien artifacts, of course they'd have contact with the source of them. "I see . . . _I want in._ "

Tosh dropped my hand like it was searing hot and spewing embers of flame. I smirked at her as she gaped back. "What do you _mean?_ "

Sighing, I drawled, "I think I made myself perfectly clear. I want in, I want to join Torchwood." As her confusion didn't lessen up but only grew in potency, I explained in further depth, "I didn't know about any of this before now. Yes, I always believed in aliens because it's preposterous to think that we're the only life in the whole damn universe, but I didn't know for sure until now. And because of my ignorance," my voice choked up and I struggled to finish, "I messed with an artifact that shouldn't have been messed with, without knowing any better, and I caused my mom's death. That's on me."

Tosh admittedly shook her head, her dark bangs following in a silky flop over her forehead. Her dark brown, almost black eyes were alight with panic as if because I blamed myself for my mom's death, a dire emergency was taking place. "Relax, it's true and you know it." Before she could protest, I cut her off with, "Look, it's my fault and I'm going to have to deal with that, but that's not what this conversation's about. I want to join Torchwood so I will never, _never_ make that mistake again and hurt somebody I love. Ignorance being bliss is a damn lie, and I'm done with it. And joining Torchwood will help me break through of it. I need this."

I was breaking down her walls of doubt and she tentatively replied, "Well, it's not up to me. Jack's the boss, but I suppose I could try to convince him. What's your particular skill set?"

Yes, she was relenting! Triumphant, I countered her with, "Well, what's yours?"

"I'm the scientist of Torchwood. I'm very good with computers and technology in general. Now that I told you about me, what about you?"

We were going to get along well, I just knew it. We shared science in common, especially this particular branch. "Ah. I'm quite similar, actually. I'm good with computers and technology, but I specialize in forensic sciences. That's what I got my degree in and what my job at the F.B.I. entails. Maybe I could work with you. We'd make a good team, wouldn't we?"

"Yes . . ." She trailed off meekly. "But is this really such a good idea? You just lost your mum. I can't help but think you're not in the right state of mind for this-"

"No, stop!" Jumping to my feet, I ground my teeth and chomped down on my tongue to refrain from saying anything I'd regret. "I wish people would stop giving me a psyche exam. Yeah, I may've lost it earlier but I'm fine now! I'm _fine!_ Stop looking at me like I'm going insane. I know what I want so I'm going after it. Simple as that."

"What about your job in the F.B.I.?" Tosh, by this point, was grasping at reasons to keep me out of Torchwood but it was only sweetening the allure of it.

I threw her a derisive look as I paced her living room erratically. My hands opened and closed into tight fists, my nails digging into my palms. "Well, it looks like we're not going back there anytime soon so I'm going to have to quit. That's fine, I don't care. This Torchwood thing sounds more interesting anyway."

Tosh stood up cautiously like she was afraid I was about to blow a fuse. "Laurel, you need to calm down. You're acting . . . manic. Look at your hands! You're bleeding."

Apparently my nails pushed too far into my palms, because trails of crimson bloods were pooling beneath them. _Damn_. "It's not that big of a deal, Tosh, I'm fine. In fact, I'm more than fine. This is a good thing for me. It is. I'm starting over, having a new beginning. I can have a new job, a new home . . . All I need is my sister and then I'm perfect." _Right, Cam._ "I should probably go find her. Did Jack tell you the address of the bar she was at?"

Her mouth fell open in disbelief and she crossed her arms, chiding, "He did, but I don't think you should go out there. Laurel, it's dark out there and you don't know anything about Cardiff. Jack told me to make sure you stay here."

Like a flip of a coin, I shifted from a buzzing, manic state to anger girl. I nearly shouted, "She's _my_ sister and I deserve to know where she is! I don't damn well care what Jack told you! Jack's not my goddamn boss and he isn't my parent, either. My mom was my only parent, but she's dead so now I have none. I might as well be an orphan."

"Laurel . . ."

"Just. Give. Me. The. Address _._ " I approached her determinedly and she backed up a few paces, stopping me in my tracks. She wasn't scared, per se, but I had to be freaking her out for her to react like that. I felt bad for that, but I needed the address. "Please, I need my sister right now."

Why did I need the address, at that exact time when I knew Jack would bring my sister back as soon as possible? I honestly didn't know. My brain was on overdrive and making up excuses to act out on the go. I needed to do _something_.

"I'm not letting you leave, Laurel. You _really_ need to calm down. You-"

" _Stop telling me to calm down!"_ I bellowed and she flinched away from me. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'M FINE! Why can't you _see_ that? Why can't you see that I'm _perfectly_ okay?!"

Tosh looked at me with pity in her gaze. "Because you're crying and you have been for the last minute or so." Stunned, my hand flew to my face and sure enough, the tears were present. I hadn't even realized.

Bottling up my pain and strengthening my mask, I said coldly, "It doesn't matter. When do you think Jack will be back?"

My attempts to change the subject were blatantly obvious but she went along with it anyway. "I can't know for sure."

"Fine, whatever." Spinning around on my heel, I marched back over to the guest room, tossing over my shoulder, "Thanks for talking to me."

As I settled into the bed, my burning desire to join Torchwood deepened and I knew the itch wouldn't leave until I got my way. Never again would I be so ignorant. I killed my own mother with that ignorance and this was the only way I could ever redeem myself.

Vowing to bring it up to Jack in the morning, I let my guard down and cried myself to sleep.

 **A few days later . . .**

Cam's hangover had been a nasty one, but it was all over now. It had been a few days since a stumbling Cam collapsed onto my bed in the middle of the night, with Jack as her physical support. They had both been so exhausted.

Cam and I had been staying in Tosh's only guest room, and I could tell we were wearing out our welcome. Tosh would never admit it, but her emotionally high-strung house guests were slowly pushing her over the edge, even when she was at work a lot of the time. Jack had been sleeping on her couch to keep an eye on us.

It was clear that Jack was picking up on these signals as well, because he was slowly and subtly prompting us to clean up after ourselves and pack up our things. He appeared conflicted, though, like he didn't know what to do with us. I had half a mind to tell him that he didn't need to play father, that we could handle ourselves perfectly well.

Meanwhile, Cam and I were busy moping and crying and reminiscing in our shared guest room. Jack relentlessly offered to be a shoulder to sob on or anything else we needed, but we just as equally consistently pushed him away. Or at least I did. It was odd to force a bond with him that didn't exist. He was a total stranger, however much he desperately wanted to change that.

I almost hoped he would just give up the fake "I want to be part of your lives" act and let us be on our way. We'd be orphans, but at least we wouldn't be hurt all over again when he decided that parenthood was not for him.

"What're you thinking about?" Apparently my facade of sleeping hadn't fooled Cam. Her voice sounded off and I knew she'd been crying.

With eyes still shut, I muttered into my pillow, "Just wondering where we're going after this. I can tell Tosh wants us gone. Just don't know _where_ we're going."

She shifted on the bed and sat up, rubbing the knots out of my back. "I'm sure Jack has something figured out, Lulu, you don't have to worry so much."

That struck me as odd. I peeled open my eyes and sat up along with her, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "Why do you trust him so much? He held your hair back when you were drunk puking on some random bench? I think he's been good to us recently and I'm grateful for that, but how much longer is this going to last?"

Her eyes lowered to the sheets and she nervously wrung the fabric between her fingers. "What's bringing this all on?"

"We barely know him," I pointed out. "Who says he isn't just gonna ditch us once we've been grieving a little too long and he's sick of us? I don't know why you carry such unlimited faith in him."

Cam genuinely scoffed and cast me a disdainful look, pushing me lightly on the shoulder. "Now you're just putting words into my mouth. You know me, I trust barely _anyone_. It's going to take him far longer to have my "unlimited faith" as you so call it. Now, what's actually your problem?"

I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. She wasn't listening to me. I just _told_ her what my problem was. "I told you already. Why can't he just let us live on our own? We're financially independent, considered geniuses by society, have had stable jobs for a while now. We can go back to America. I don't even know why're we're here. Our lives just don't coincide with his and he's going to realize this if he hasn't already."

Cam, disentangling her legs from the sheets, climbed off the bed as if to get as far away from me as possible. She was pissed, that much I could tell. I fought the urge to roll my eyes again. "I don't know why you're suddenly shutting this all out! This is our life now, okay? You're just going to have to deal with that."

I threw the covers off myself and stood up as well, although it didn't have the same menacing effect because she was a good few inches taller than me. My voice was raised and I was only a couple notches away from shouting. "Who died and made you queen? You don't get to dictate everything! Why is that I get _no_ say in it? We're just gonna live in Cardiff now?" _Now_ I was yelling. "And then what? Our lives were _torn apart!_ We lost our mom, we're quitting our jobs, we've got nothing LEFT!"

She gaped at me like I was losing my mind, and doing it extremely ostentatiously. I crossed my arms and waited impatiently for her invariable counterargument. "That's _why_ we should stay here. We need to build our new lives!"

"What's with all this _we? Obviously_ we disagree on this, so maybe we should be thinking about this separately." I was actually attempting to be diplomatic, but apparently she didn't see it like that.

An outraged gasp escaped from her lips and she slammed her fist against the wall. "Seperately?! _Separately?!_ What the hell is going through your damn head? _Obviously_ nothing good, if you're talking shit like this! You've been shutting everyone out, how am I supposed to know what crazy crap's going through your head?" _That's low. Bitch move. Oh well, I'll have the last laugh._

"Oh, like you care!" She visibly recoiled like I had slapped her across the face. "It's only your feelings that matter! Who gave you the damn right to storm out in the middle of the night, giving us no clue where you were? You don't give a shit about any of us if you get to down a couple and drop your pants for some loser whenever you feel like it, everyone else be damned!"

Cam stuck her pointer finger right into my face; she was losing her temper _fast_. Steam may as well have been shooting out from her ears, and her face was about as crimson as a ripe cherry. "You. Shut. Your. Mouth."

Perhaps unwisely, I did the exact opposite. "Maybe you'd know how I've been feeling if you actually took the time to ask instead of being so damn _selfish!"_ And that was the precise moment where I stepped over the line.

She was sporting her best "Bitch, please" expression so I knew I was in for it. "You have the audacity to call _me_ selfish? When you're the one pushing _everyone_ away for no good reason at all?! Or maybe when you're lashing out every other second and treating Jack like shit when you want to _feel_ better, because you're sadistic like that!" I clenched my fists and glared at her murderously. "Or perhaps when you're coming up with bullshit reasons just to upheave our lives even _more?_ That's not just selfish, you're being a fucking _idiot_."

I was seeing _red_ , blinded by it, and I furiously attempted to blink it out, but to no avail. "Fuck you." She stepped back, surprised, and I took that opportunity to storm out of our room. I realized quickly that Jack nor Tosh was here; perhaps they were meeting up over some Torchwood business that I couldn't care less about at the moment.

Cam, like an angry bull, charged after me. "Oh don't you walk away!"

"Don't you tell me what to do!" I retorted. My clothes were relatively clean (I had slept in them from the day before, but they didn't show it) and my hair wasn't a total rat's nest, so I concluded that I was fit for the outside world. I needed some fresh air.

"Don't go out that door!" Too late. I flung it open and was met with a gust of chilly, but refreshing air. "Damn it, Lulu, we're having a conversation right now!" I thoroughly ignored her and kept on walking. "Will you stop being such a little _bitch_ and talk to me?"

That one stung- if she resorted to name-calling, she was beyond the point of self-control. "Why don't you stop being such an asshole and leave me the fuck alone?!" I was taking the stairs down two at a time and she was hot on my tail.

"Maybe the same time you pull your head out of your ass!" she shot back just as I reached the ground floor and burst out the front door.

"You can't talk when you're using your ass as a damn sunhat!" I was speed-walking now, no specific location in mind. Just wanting to get away from the bitch I called an older sister.

There was a reasonably empty park nearby that I zoned in on, until I caught a glimpse of one of the picnic tables. One huge fucking coincidence. The entire team of Torchwood, sitting and eating lunch at that table. _Why here? Why now? Why did they have to pick this exact time and park to eat their damn lunch? Don't they have aliens to deal with?!_

I spun around on my heel before they could see me and ran right smack into Cam. Much to my shock, she shoved me and I went stumbling backwards. "Don't you push me."

Me, push _her?!_ "I didn't push you, I ran into you. There's a difference, dumbass," I spat hatefully, turning to maneuver around her. She latched onto my arm like the leech she was. "Let go of my arm or you're not gonna like the results."

Her face contorted into a wicked sneer (well, it was wicked in _my_ possibly skewed perspective) and she said simply, "No. You aren't going anywhere."

I smiled coldly, threateningly, and sang, "Well, I warned you!" Her grip was iron-tight, but I still managed to wrench my arm forward and throw an elbow her way. The blow connected with her sternum, winded her, and ultimately knocked her onto her ass. "I _did_ warn you."

"You _bitch_ ," she gasped, clutching her torso. I smirked down at her until she pulled me down by the wrist and I smacked my head against the sidewalk. _Ouch._ She punched me in the arm, and as a sharp though not unbearable pain coursed through my shoulder, I kicked her hard in the shin.

By then, many people were staring at us and beginning to flock around us. I couldn't quite tell if the Torchwood team had seen us or not, because believe it or not, I was a little preoccupied.

I was now sporting an aching cheekbone after she landed a nice right hook, but I was far from over. As she tried to sit up, I launched herself at her and pinned her beneath me, punching her in the eye. Blood poured down her face and we must have both looked like the victims of a cheesy horror movie. We had really given in to our rage at this point.

She thrusted upwards and threw me off her, kneeing me in the ribs then back-handing me in the face. My left cheek was going to be bruised as all hell.

After that, it wasn't so clean. It was a full-out brawl. We were wrestling on the ground, punching, kicking, clawing, even head-butting and I may or may not have bit her at one point.

So, evidently, the Torchwood team did catch a glimpse of us because they were actually the ones who had to physically pull us apart. Jack had my arms positioned awkwardly behind my back before I knew what was happening and Owen had his arms wrapped around Cam's waist, and Gwen, Tosh, and Ianto were looking on with expressions varying from disapproval to disappointment to even anger.

That had to be the moment where we both realized how ridiculous and insane we were being, so we stopped struggling against our individual captors. "What the bloody hell is going on?" Owen demanded and I choked on my saliva as I observed how bad off Cam was.

Her nose was gushing scarlet, her right eye was already swelling shut, and there was a considerably large bruise on her forehead. I tried to gauge my own injuries. Swollen, bruised, and throbbing left cheekbone, a cut above my eye created by her annoyingly long fingernails that was dripping blood into my eye, the side of my mouth was ablaze with pain, my head was pounding from where it connected with the pavement, and my ribs didn't feel too hot. And other than that, the both of us had scratches and bruises littered across ourselves from our messy brawl.

This was turning out to be a really crappy day, but you know what could've made it worse? A lecture from Jack. At least that didn't happen- oh, wait. It was Jack's turn to shine now. "I leave you two alone for an hour, and you're fighting in the middle of the open, acting a pair of maniacs who want to kill each other? What the _hell_ is wrong with you two?!"

"Lots of things," Cam said rather calmly, considering the situation.

"Speak for yourself," I retorted and the corners of her mouth tweaked up into a slight smile.

Jack hissed into my ear, "Can I let you go now or will you attack your sister again?"

I scoffed back, "Believe it or not, I'm not that dumb."

He muttered, "Could've fooled me," and for some reason, I found that really funny and so did Cam. She outright burst into laughter and would've doubled over if Owen hadn't been dutifully holding her back.

"Would you like some ice for that burn?" she choked out between giggles and I shook my head at her, amused.

"Same applies to you, idjit." Her eyes burned with the excitement that comes along when one understands a pop culture reference without help from anyone else.

"Jerk," she tossed over to me playfully and I fired back immediately,

"Bitch." It became evident that Jack had never seen _Supernatural_ , because he began chastening us again just as quickly as we spewed out the references. For some incredibly bizarre reason, Cam and I found that to be positively hilarious and began laughing so much Jack and Owen dropped us both respectively in mild disgust.

The side of my mouth burned when stretched open, but this was worth it. Cam and I had already made up, in an unspoken agreement. The citizens on the street were gawking at us because they probably thought we were batshit crazy with fighting so fiercely than laughing with the same intensity- and quite honestly, we were probably just as insane as they thought us to be. "Take a picture, it'll last longer!" I shouted at them and they finally dispersed.

A wave of dizziness struck me and I collapsed- Ianto was closest, so he managed to catch me before I fell. I appreciated this, because _damn_ , that man was fine. Jack was by my side in a heartbeat, along with Cam and Owen. "What's wrong?" Jack asked with heavy urgency.

"My head hurts from when Cam pulled me against the ground," I groaned and she balked as everyone turned to glare at her.

"Hey, after you elbowed me to the ground, might I add," she huffed and I rolled my eyes (the blood from the cut above my eye had already begun to dry).

"The past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it." I carried a certain fondness for Disney movies.

"Referencing _Lion King_ , are we?" She sounded so proud of herself that I had to smile.

"Two for two, good for you. Hey, that rhymed!" Perhaps I was getting a tad bit delirious.

"She's losing it," said Jack dryly, and he helped me to my feet. "Owen, can you take a look at her?"

"It might be easier back at the hub," Owen pointed out and Jack sighed, but resigned to the fact that I was finally going to be able to see the Torchwood hub. _Yes, victory!_

Jack swiveled my body around so I would have to look at him, and he queried suspiciously, "Was this all an elaborate ruse so you could finally see the hub?"

 _Huh. Didn't really think about that._ "Now, Jack," I drawled, patting him condescendingly on the shoulder, "am I _really_ that smart?" That didn't fool him- after all, I was a fourteen-year-old scientist working for the FBI. "Okay, I _am_ that smart, but I'm not that diabolical. Though, in hindsight, that's a pretty sweet plan. Besides the fact that _I_ got hurt along with my sister."

That car ride was an uncomfortable one, but also a comical one. Jack was driver, Gwen rode shotgun, and the rest of us had to figure out what to do with ourselves. Ianto chivalrously offered his seat to me and kneeled in front of me instead, and I graciously accepted. I was seated next to Owen for medical purposes.

Tosh gave her seat for Cam, but she denied it, and proceeded to settle herself right on Owen's lap. His expression was priceless.

Jack, not noticing the antics of the backseat, already sped onto the main road. Cam safely buckled herself in, but it was a tight squeeze. "This bother you, sweetheart?" she asked of him in such a predatory and overconfident way that it was obvious "no" was not an acceptable answer. He stiffly shook his head and shifted awkwardly in his seat.

Tosh was looking at Cam in a whole new light and she didn't look happy in the slightest. _Maybe she has a thing for Owen_ , I theorized. Ianto just tried his best to avoid eye contact with the two "love birds."

And then it only got worse. Jack was still oblivious, but since Cam's nose was running like a fountain over her shirt, she had the audacity to pull off her shirt and stick it against her nose, leaving her bra on display. And she certainly had a chest on her- a good C-cup.

For most, sitting in such proximity to someone with a bloody and banged up face and bruised body would be downright disgusting, but only Cam could pull it off almost seductively. As Owen, Tosh, and Ianto stared at her in shock (this was not new to me, I'd witnessed similar and worse flirtations from her), she innocently defended herself with, "What? I had to stop the bleeding!"

That made Jack glance into his mirror and he clearly didn't like what he saw. "Cameron, put your damn shirt back on and get off Owen's lap. Owen, what the hell is wrong with you? She's seventeen!"

"I'm perfectly comfortable like this, and so's he- right, Owen?" she prompted of him after removing the shirt from her face, her nose properly clotted.

"Er . . ." He didn't know what else to say and it made her sister only grow in confidence. She trailed the inside of his leg with her fingers and he had to bite his lip to stifle what I assumed was a moan. _My God, she's going to kill the poor man,_ I thought, snickering to myself.

"Voulez vous coucher avec moi?" Cam asked in perfect French and I rolled my eyes. _*Do you want to sleep with me?*_ She was just banking on the fact that none of them knew French, but she did it for my benefit because I, in fact, was fluent in French.

"What'd you say?" inquired Jack all too suspiciously.

"You don't want to know, Jack." Then, I responded to Cam in French, "S'il te plaît, non. Je suis assis ici, putain!" _*Please, no. I am sitting right here, you whore!*_

It was quite amusing how confused everyone had to be with our exchange, especially Owen, as he writhed beneath Cam. She replied with a sneer, "Es-tu jaloux?" _*Are you jealous?*_

I countered without a beat, "Pas du tout . . . es-tu désespéré?" _*Not at all . . . are you desperate?*_ Her mouth dropped open in outrage.

"Je ne suis pas! Ce n'est pas vrai!" * _I am not! It is not true!*_ Her eyes twinkled with a devilish light. "Tu es plien de merde!" _*You are full of shit!*_

 _Too far, Cam, too far,_ I thought, searching for a perfect revenge. _Found one!_ "Oui, juste comme tu es plein de maladies sexuellment transmissibiles!" * _Yes, just as you are full of sexually transmitted diseases!*_

That one was a bit of a reach considering I did not in fact know for sure if she had any STDS, but the effect was still the same.

Then came the piece of knowledge that stunned both my sister and I. Ianto cut in scoldingly, "Maintenant maintenant, les filles, cela est peu approprié." _*Now now, girls, this is hardly appropriate.*_ A small smile was playing at his lips.

How unfortunate. "Impressionnant," I conceded. _*Impressive.*_ Ianto grinned in a cute, shy way, yet also disapproving, because he was the one who put a stop to our insults in the first place.

"How about we all speak English now?" Owen complained and Cam's attention was directed back toward him. She caressed the side of his face and he didn't exactly dodge.

"This is beginning to feel like a cheesy X-rated movie," I whined and Cam smacked me on the shoulder. "You're right, you're right, not yet. I'm honestly surprised you haven't given him a lap dance yet, maybe for a few bucks and a stale beer?"

My attempt to playfully slut-shame her backfired because she punched me in the gut. This was an odd experience for Owen, because as she twisted around and leaned over to hit me, her chest was _right_ in his face and he narrowly avoided being suffocated with them.

I slapped her back and a mini war ensued until Jack had the gall to snap, "Look, I'm pissed at the two of enough as it is, if you don't stop right now then I swear I'm pulling over this SUV and you're not going to like the damn consequences!"

That threat was enough to shut Cam and I up. It was hard to tell what he meant by it. If he was going to pull the SUV over to properly yell at us, or even punish us physically like one would an unruly four-year-old. I shuddered at the second thought- hopefully he wasn't barbaric enough to even consider it, but I hardly knew the guy and was not going to take any chances. Apparently, Cam wasn't either.

Still, perhaps my foot needed to be surgically removed from my mouth, because I muttered under my breath, "Drama queen," and he just _had_ to hear me.

"That's it, I'm done," was all he said as he began the process of switching into the next lane, nearest to the side of the road. I immediately protested and used my "I was only joking" card, but he turned a deaf ear.

"Come on, Jack, the girls are hurt." Wow, it was actually Owen to have our backs. "You wanted me to check them out and detours won't make it any faster."

I was surprised he could speak coherently with Cam practically grinding against him.

Gwen lay a hand on Jack's shoulder in an effort to calm him down, and finally he did jerk back into the proper lane and lead us to our destination. I gulped; that was a little too close for my liking.

We finally arrived and Jack was out of the car no sooner than he had switched off the engine. He quite possibly had enough of my dear sister and I. Ianto and Tosh were out in a flash and then Gwen, and since I was still in the car, I was subjected to more Cam's hardly G-rated flirting toward Owen.

"You want me to move, babe? I don't think you do," she hissed into his ear as I frantically unbuckled my seat belt. The goddamn thing was jammed. _THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS_ , I thought furiously. "I can feel how excited I've made you. We may have to cut this short for now, but this is _far_ from over."

His eyes were huge and about to pop out of his head. She nibbled on his ear (but not in a Mike Tyson way, a romantic way) and he groaned with pleasure. He actually _groaned_. I choked down the rising amount of bile that burned the back of my throat.

Luckily, I managed to pry off my seat belt and I was out of the car before I could even say "Get a room." Jeez, that was a frightening experience. People seemed to forget I _was_ only fourteen years old.

Well, this wasn't expected. I wasn't sure what exactly I thought I was going to see, but a tall water tower was not it. "So, uh, not that it isn't a pretty sight and whatnot, but what're we doing near the Roald Dahl Plass?"

Jack smirked at me in this obnoxious, knowing way. "Wait and see, kid, you've seen nothing yet."

"Well, obviously, I mean it's cool, but I was expecting something a little more _Mission Impossible_." His lips pulled apart into a genuine grin and as I swayed on my feet because of my pounding head, he stepped forward and wrapped his arm around me in a side-hug to balance me.

It was kind of nice, actually. A simple paternal gesture that maybe nobody else would have looked twice at, but I appreciated it more than I could express aloud. A wave of dizziness struck me suddenly, and I leaned my head against him. He squeezed me by the shoulders in acknowledgement.

And, of course, since I wasn't allowed any nice things, Cam just had to stomp all over our father-daughter moment by stepping out of the car, still without her shirt. Owen brushed past all of us, walking stiffly over to the tower.

Jack scowled at the two of them, and had to release his grip on me to shrug off his tacky overcoat and hand it over to Cam. My good mood went down the drain- it was like we took one step forward, and two steps back. Frowning at everything and everyone, I followed Owen's retreating footsteps.

I could hear Cam and Jack's arguing from behind me, so I sped up in an attempt to tune them out, following Owen into a rather ordinary, anticlimactic office. "Well, this is a let down."

He snorted at me. "You're obviously smart, do you think this is really all we have to show you?"

I shrugged, but moved closer to him anyway, and challenged, "Then, if you so desire, _enlighten_ me." He motioned for me to follow him.

"I don't see what your problem is," Cam's complaining entered the office, and I just rolled my eyes before I could hone in on Jack's response. I was led down a boring hallway, but I'll admit, I was a _little_ impressed when a metal gear-shaped door rolled to the side.

"Very Star Trek," I remarked, and I heard a few low chuckles behind me from where the others were closely tailing, Cam and Jack's little spat evidently pushed aside for later. Because, knowing Cam, it definitely was not finished.

"Voilà," Jack said, stepping in front of me with his arms spread in a form of welcome. Now _this_ was more like it. My mouth dropped open as I took in my surroundings- my very, very high-tech surroundings. Virtually everything was made of metal, there were tons of computers, and a bunch of odd technology that very much could've been alien. I wanted to know how each one worked.

It felt like an underground secret base all right. I could already picture myself working here. . . .

A loud, bizarre screeching startled the living hell out of me, and I looked up. That was precisely when I realized what kind of freaky-ass world I'd just stepped into, and also when I realized I wouldn't be stepping out. "Is that . . . a pterodactyl?"

 **A/N: So, what'd you think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let us know! Just so you know, we'll be sort of following the plot lines of the episode, but the dialogue won't be exactly the same and things may change. We'd love some feedback! :D**


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